Kern County officials and community members celebrated the opening of Fuller Acres Park on Oct. 3, marking a milestone for a neighborhood that had long sought a safe public space.

The $1.2 million project, located at 8321 Hilltop Drive, was funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, Measure K funds, and county general funds. County officials said it is Kern County’s first pocket park.

The park includes play structures, rubber safety surfacing, outdoor exercise equipment, a shaded picnic area, solar lighting, fencing, and accessible walkways.

“It took a whole army to get this job done,” said Michelle Burns-Lusich, Kern County’s chief general services officer. 

She stated that the project required land acquisition, design, and construction, with multiple county departments contributing.

The project was led by Kern County General Services with support from the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability. Fourth District Supervisor David Couch and other local representatives attended the ribbon-cutting.

Community members and local officials cut the ribbon during the grand opening of Fuller Acres Park on Oct. 3, 2025, in Bakersfield, Calif. The $1.2 million project is Kern County’s first pocket park. (Haley Duval/Kern Sol News)

Residents said the project will improve safety and provide space for recreation. 

“The completion of the park is a great accomplishment for our community,” said resident Maria Martinez, who has lived in Fuller Acres for three decades. 

She said parents can now send their children to play in the park without fear of them being near traffic, and mentioned the adults have already begun hosting Zumba classes at the park.

Jennifer Martinez, who grew up across the street from the park site, described its opening as deeply personal for longtime residents. 

In a letter read during the ceremony, she recalled the property as once home to a community elder, later left vacant and deteriorating before becoming a dumping ground for abandoned cars.

“For years, my neighbors often referred to this area as ‘a forgotten town,’ because it was rare for investments to be made here,” she wrote. “This park restores hope and speaks to the heart of my childhood self.”

Martinez said she remembered playing in irrigation canals and near oil pumps because the neighborhood lacked recreational spaces. She said the new park means children will now have a safe place to play, while families and elders will have an area to gather and build community. 

“The impact of this park will be intergenerational,” she wrote. “It makes me beyond proud to witness the conversion of this empty lot to a pocket park.”

Community organizations also played a role in securing the park.

Emma De La Rosa, land use and transportation policy manager with the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, said the project showed how collaboration between residents and county agencies can bring “true transformative change.”

County officials encouraged residents to remain involved in maintaining the space and to participate in the county’s Adopt-a-Park program. which allows groups or individuals to organize cleanup events, report damage, and help keep facilities in good condition. 

Supervisor David Couch, who represents Fuller Acres in District 4, said county leaders intentionally included the neighborhood in his district during redistricting to help bring improvements. 

“We saw the needs that you have. We saw the type of community you are,” Couch said. “And we wanted to help you make a difference.”