Residents press council to convert neglected slab into park; council seeks costs and holds workshop plans

At the May 7 meeting, resident Alejandro Mariel urged the Parlier City Council to convert a long-neglected concrete slab on Towalami Street into a modest neighborhood park, saying east-side families have waited more than a decade and the site draws unwanted activity.

"We aren't asking for a multi-million dollar park, just using the infrastructure that's already there," Mariel said, asking the council to prioritize a community-focused solution.

Council members responded with several park-related updates and next steps. Mayor Pro Tem Sabrina Rodriguez and Council member Jamie Molina discussed hosting a District 2 workshop to gather input from residents about what they would like to see at the site and asked staff to return with cost estimates for lower-cost options such as painted courts or repurposed surfaces. Staff also noted that a grant will fund regrading and leveling at Veterans Park, with league work expected to finish in July and bids to follow for construction of new baseball fields.

Council members raised safety concerns about degraded playground surfacing. One council member said rubber playground surfacing quotes were close to $80,000; staff agreed to return with options and cost estimates for replacement and alternatives.

Separately, staff reported work installing underground chambers at the Richard Flores basin as part of returning that site to use as baseball fields.

Next steps: council asked staff to bring cost estimates and options for the Towalami slab, to schedule a community workshop for District 2, and to provide possible funding options or timelines for splash-pad and playground repairs.