Yolo County Parks & Recreation Digest

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held celebrating the opening of new pickleball courts at Crawford Park in Woodland.

Nearly every major environmental group in California opposes a bill that would modify the state’s signature environmental law to speed up upgrades to power lines. Supporters say it would help free the state from fossil fuels and make the grid more reliable, but opponents fear it would damage state parks.

On June 19, California YIMBY announced support for the California Forever project going to the Solano County ballot in November.

In its May 21 meeting, the Woodland City Council approved plans for the $15.3 million Southeast Area Aquatic Center Project.

The Elk Grove City Council voted to approve the move of the Sacramento Zoo to a 100 acre lot at Kammerer Road and Lotz Parkway.

The Davis Farmers Market popular Picnic in the Park is back, running every Wednesday from 4PM to 8PM starting on May 1 and running through September.

The construction of the Knights Landing Community Park is set to commence with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, April 9.

A ribbon-cutting celebration will be held on April 24 celebrating the new Sports Park Drive Bike and Pedestrian Overcrossing.

Woodland is incorporating pickleball courts as part of the William Crawford Senior Park Court Reconstruction Project.

A groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for April 9 signals the start of construction of the Knights Landing Community Park.

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors approved the construction a new playground in the El Rio Villa Housing Community outside of the city of Winters during their March 12 meeting.

Though completed and opened in February, city staff are requesting an additional $185,000 for the Highway 113 Sports Parks Pedestrian Overcrossing..

80 shade trees at Crawford, Tredway and Traynham Parks were planted by dozens of volunteers Saturday morning in Woodland as part of the "city of trees" Arbor Day celebration.

Woodland’s Spring Lake Park and the Sports Park Bike and Pedestrian Overcrossing are now open to the public after roughly two years of construction for both projects.

The city of Davis along with local nonprofit organization Tree Davis is seeking community feedback on plans to transform parts of Robert Arneson Park into climate-ready landscapes.

California State Parks has recommended $6.7 million for seven local nonmotorized trail projects in various cities, including Galt and Gilroy.

Several local parks for a range of ages were recently renovated, including Campanilla Mini Park, Donato Mini Playground and Sandy Motley Park.

Disneyland’s plan to reimagine the theme park into a more “immersive” experience may require up to $2.5 billion and a plan to privatize some Anaheim streets.

Climate-ready landscapes are spaces that are visually vibrant, drought tolerant, and support local nature. At Robert Arneson Park, these spaces will be pollinator gardens and mini-forests.

California’s projected budget deficit of close to $38 billion likely means some cuts are coming. Among them, Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed ending the California State Park Adventure Pass, which offers free access to some state parks for fourth graders.

Last year, environmental groups and tribes rallied behind a proposed expansion of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. Expansion was tried through congressional legislation, but it stalled.

An estimated 100,000 pizza boxes have been removed from Yosemite’s waste stream. This is because the famed park now serves pizza on trays and puts to-go portions in compostable bags, part of a move to reduce food-related waste.

The program provides free loans of hiking boots to youths, allowing them to trade up as they grow. Donation bins will be at REI stores through Jan. 5.

The Yolo County community is invited to attend the official unveiling of the new Story Trail installation at Capay Open Space Park.

The 40 Acre Conservation League has recently acquired hundreds of acres of land in Placer County, 70 miles northeast of Sacramento—a significant step toward making outdoor experiences more inclusive.

Utility giant PG&E is set to raise its rates an average of 13% on Jan. 1. That equals an extra $32.50 a month, or $390 for the year.

State and local leaders gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate a new plan that will increase access to the outdoors for all Californians, regardless of who they are or where they live.

The Woodland City Council adopted a resolution approving revisions to the policy for naming parks and recreation facilities after a staff report noted that recent projects have made it clear that the policy needs to include the naming of other facilities.

A pilot program that allows Californians to visit many state parks for free—after checking out a pass from their local library—is helping increase access for more people of color and lower-income residents, according to research from the California State Parks Foundation.

A beachside trail connecting the communities of Morro Bay and Cayucos could finally be built after 20 years. This happened after Chevron decided to sell land needed for the trail to be built.

Two theme park giants, Six Flags and Cedar Fair, announced they are merging. It could have potential impacts on California theme parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

Camille Dixon, the announcer for Disney California Adventure, and her husband, Bill Rogers, the voice of Disneyland, are moving on from this work. They have been at the parks for more than 40 years combined.