LAKE FOREST ? City and county officials, sports teams and community members are expected to gather at the gateway of what will become the city's new sports park today to celebrate the opening of a stretch of roadway that is the first step in building the $38 million park.
A groundbreaking for the sports park set for 5 p.m. on Rancho Parkway will coincide with a ribbon cutting on an 1,800-foot extension of the roadway. Plans for the event include comments from city and county officials, games, food and giveaways. Former Angels pitcher David Frost is expected to discuss the city's new opportunity for youth and adult sports.
Former Angels' pitcher David Frost shows youngsters proper pitching technique in this 2010 file photo.
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Background
The park site is within an 800-acre area on the city's north side that was once previously zoned as commercial and industrial because it fell under the flight path of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station MCAS. That property was rezoned in 2009 to pave the way for the sports park and more than 4,000 new homes.
Workshops were held in mid-2009 to get input on amenities for the park. The park master plan was designed by RJM Design Group Inc., which has designed parks in Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino. The plan was reviewed by the Parks and Recreation Commission in July 2009 and by the City Council in August 2009.
In April 2011, the environmental impact report for the park was certified by the council. A final plan was adopted last fall and is available at lakeforestca.gov.
Source: City of Lake Forest
The extension closes a gap between Lake Forest Drive and Portola Parkway that has led to congestion for thousands of motorists traveling along Portola Parkway, El Toro Road, Lake Forest Drive and the 241 toll road, City Engineer Tom Wheeler said. The extension also provides a main access point to the sports park.
Westbound Portola also was widened under the project from Rancho to a secondary sports park entrance. The gap's completion is expected to help with congestion near the 241 toll road and access to Saddleback Church, too.
The project began in April and is being finished on budget and ahead of schedule, Wheeler said. In all, contractors will have moved 500,000 cubic yards of dirt and laid 5,000 tons of asphalt. The total project budget including design, construction, inspection and utility costs is $4.4 million.
A portion of the project cost will be reimbursed through $1.23 million in grant funds from Measure M2, a half-cent transportation sales tax, and $434,800 from the Irvine Ranch Water District for construction of IRWD utilities.
The groundbreaking at the sports park marks the first step toward construction, which includes grading and drainage. Next week the City Council is expected to approve construction bids for ball fields, a gymnasium and a community center.
The plan for the park, situated on 86 acres near Portola and El Toro, includes five baseball diamonds, two basketball courts, five soccer fields, two playgrounds, restrooms and concession areas, and trail connections to nearby Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.
The sports fields will help meet demand from city sports groups such as girls softball, Little League, Pony League and more, city officials said. Multipurpose fields will provide opportunities for soccer, football, lacrosse and rugby. Synthetic turf will be used on some of the soccer fields, making them available year-round.
The common grass fields will be a place for the city's summer concert series, now held at Pittsford Park. The 27,000-square-foot recreation center is expected to provide opportunities for community fitness and dance classes, and arts and crafts classes for children.
Construction of ball fields, playgrounds and recreation center is scheduled to be completed by spring 2014.
Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com or twitter.com/lagunaini
Source: http://www.ocregister.com/news/park-373991-sports-city.html
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