Church land in Sun City to be converted to public park

Sun City Park will occupy a currently open field behind Faith Lutheran Church. (Source: Google Maps)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

An open field at the back of the Faith Lutheran Church property will become the City of Menifee’s newest park, thanks to an acquisition announced this week.

Sun City Park will be an “age appropriate” park in the heart of the Sun City senior community, with a quarter-mile walking path, solar walkway lighting, water-efficient landscaping, a rose garden, and workout stations, according to a City news release. It will also include benches, drinking fountains, and trash cans with dog bag dispensers.

Open space for parks in Sun City is limited. The largest potentially available green space in the area is the closed North Golf Course. But the willingness of Faith Lutheran Church to sell a relatively unused portion of its property addressed the need. The park will fill 1.87 acres of the triangular property bordered by Portsmouth Drive, Roanoke Road and Hartwick Road. Access and parking for the park will be via the Portsmouth Drive church entrance.

“This park will be a great addition to the Sun City community and provides a great outdoor space for our residents to enjoy,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bob Karwin. “City staff did an amazing job to secure this competitive funding grant and bring state dollars here for the benefit of Menifee.”

The City was recently awarded a $524,700 grant from the California Natural Resources Agency as part of the Urban Greening Grant Program. That amount will cover the purchase price of $408,000 for the land and $29,000 for the parking lot easement, with the remainder of the grant to be used for title, escrow, surveying, and services related to the acquisition, said Philip Southard, City of Menifee public information officer.

The Urban Greening Grant Program has provided funding to 23 projects across the state. Negotiations for this project included meetings involving the City Community Services Department; Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission; Senior Advisory Committee; and state officials. The CNRA first met with city officials in November and awarded the funds this month.

According to the city news release, “Benefits of Sun City Park that align with CNRA’s requirements include the expansion of tree canopies, park accessibility within walking distance of residents, and the addition of free recreational amenities, among others.”

The timeline for completion of the park is approximately 18 months.