A conceptual rendering shows the proposed aquatic center at the future Menifee Valley Sports Park.
A future sports park is one step closer to bringing the city’s first municipal aquatic center, 18 pickleball courts and new spaces for community events to Menifee.
The Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission unanimously approved a conceptual plan Thursday for the Menifee Valley Sports Park and Aquatic Center, a 17-acre park planned near Briggs and Case roads as part of the Menifee Valley Specific Plan. The park is intended to serve residents of the development and the broader Menifee community.
The original concept included three baseball fields, but city staff revisited the design after Menifee adopted its 2023 Parks Master Plan, which identified aquatics and pickleball as two of the city’s biggest recreational needs.
“We wanted to take the opportunity to take another look at how we can make this park benefit not just the immediate community but also address some of the additional items that were brought forward through the 2023 adopted Parks Master Plan,” Community Services Director Mariana Mitchell said.
If built as proposed, the park would include a heated Junior Olympic competition pool, an instructional pool, an aquatic playground, two splash pads and a community building.
Mitchell said the vision extends beyond a traditional sports park.
“We really wanted to make sure that this place felt special, not just to the residents, but also to the community and to anybody who comes and visits Menifee,” she said.
While commissioners supported the updated vision, one speaker said the city still needs more baseball fields.
John Dreher, who said he has been involved with Menifee Valley Little League for 30 years, told commissioners he was disappointed to see the fields removed from the original concept.
“Menifee Valley Little League plays in Winchester,” Dreher said. “There’s not enough fields. We need to play in Menifee.”
Commissioners acknowledged the concern but said the Parks Master Plan ranked aquatics and pickleball ahead of additional ball fields. Staff also noted new baseball and softball fields are planned at La Ladera Park and Cimarron Ridge, while nearby Valley-Wide Recreation parks also provide fields for Menifee residents.
Next, Brookfield Residential will prepare construction plans for city review. The developer will fund and construct the park as part of the Menifee Valley Specific Plan.
