Photo of an updated view of the park site from the MLK Park Revitalization project website

In a significant step toward revitalizing one of Bakersfield’s most treasured community spaces, the City of Bakersfield’s Recreation & Parks Department has secured nearly $12 million in federal funding for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park and community center.

The announcement, made on September 25, marks a major milestone for the project and the city, with the funding coming from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The $11.9 million award was part of a broader $254 million investment through the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP). This program focuses on creating and enhancing green spaces in urban and disadvantaged areas across the country. Notably, the MLK Park project is one of only 15 projects in California to receive funding, and it ranks as the second-largest award among 54 projects nationwide.

“I am incredibly proud to say that we are finding ways to make this priority project happen,” said Darin Budak, the acting Director of Recreation & Parks for Bakersfield. “I want to thank all our staff who worked to make this application successful. We’re not done yet and are continuing to find creative ways to bring this project to bear.”

The revitalization project will bring a host of new amenities to the 16.1-acre park, including increased safety measures, expanded play opportunities, and enhanced community programming. A new community center is also part of the plans. According to Assistant City Manager Rick Anthony, who grew up using the park’s facilities, the improvements will have a transformative effect on the local community.

“I grew up in that area, playing on the basketball courts there and visiting the park. I am excited to see the changes we’re planning for that vitally important amenity. It will make an incredible difference for the people who live nearby and the rest of the City,” Anthony said.

The ORLP’s goal is to provide “safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived,” which aligns with the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. The Justice40 Initiative seeks to ensure that at least 40% of federal investments benefit disadvantaged communities.

Deb Haaland, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, praised the program’s role in expanding access to green spaces, “Supporting the communities that benefit from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program has been a top priority for our Administration, and a critical step to bringing more green spaces to urban and disadvantaged communities.”

The city is still open to partnerships for the project through the Recreation & Parks Department, as it continues to work toward making the revitalization vision a reality.

For more information on the project or to get involved, visit the City of Bakersfield’s MLK Park Revitalization webpage.