Nearly $3 million in Prop. 68 funding was awarded to McKinleyville and Blue Lake yesterday through California’s Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program.

The grants will provide the McKinleyville Community Services District with $2,331,375 for a new park and BMX track, and the City of Blue Lake with $585,000 for a Town Square Park.

“I was overwhelmed and a little speechless when we first got the news,” McKinleyville Parks and Recreation Director Lesley Frisbee told the Outpost. “I couldn’t believe it was real.”

The McKinleyville park is proposed to be built on a 3-acre parcel located at School Rd. and Washington Ave. near the Mill Creek Cinema. The grant will fully fund the entire project, which includes a BMX track, basketball and pickleball courts, a playground, a perimeter trail, a concessions building, a parking lot, restrooms, lighting and landscaping.

“The location of this project currently is a park-poor region of McKinleyville, meaning there are zero park acres within a half-mile radius of the location,” Frisbee said. “The project parcel is in a residential neighborhood, so this project will bring a park within walking distance to 1,500 community residents — 431 of which are youths.”

Blue Lake’s proposed plaza will be built on a .20-acre parcel of land at First Ave. and G Street near Dell’Arte International. The grant funding will also fully cover the Blue Lake plaza, which includes the purchasing of the land, and the installation of a new splash pad, shade structure, a restroom, lighting and landscaping.

“There were a lot of high fives, hugs, congratulatory statements and some tears.” Blue Lake City Manager Mandy Mager said about the city receiving the good news. “We are very thankful that the state recognized the value that small rural communities bring to the larger regions.”

Mager said that the Blue Lake project is in the advanced planning stages and that she hopes for the project to be completed by the summer of 2022. Meanwhile, the McKinleyville park is still waiting to go through the bid-proposal process for design and construction. Frisbee said that the McKinleyville park is expected to be completed before March of 2025 — the project completion deadline placed on Prop 68 funds.

In addition to filling recreational needs for the community, Frisbee hopes that the BMX track will serve as a tourism destination.

“It will also bring a sanctioned BMX track to McKinleyville, which will bring tourism to the community that will contribute to the local businesses and economy,” Frisbee said. “We have BMX riders in our community that drive up and down the state and coast multiple times throughout the year to compete in races. In a couple of years, McKinleyville can be one of the places that kids from up and down the state and coast come to ride. It’s a really exciting project and opportunity for the community.”

After more than 30 years of planning and several unsuccessful grant applications, Mager said that support from community members helped bring the project to fruition.

“Because of the tremendous support for the project and the enthusiasm of the community, we were able to put together a strong application that clearly reflected the needs of the community,” Mager said. “While at the same time, capitalizing on the benefits that a town square will bring to our downtown business community.”