Correa presents city of Orange with $850,000 in federal funds to help build new park

Near the banks of the Santa Ana River and the trail that runs parallel to it, a strip of dirt and asphalt stretches out toward the horizon. The area off West Chapman Avenue is in the middle of one of the city of Orange’s most park-poor areas, but the land won’t stand empty for much longer.

On Aug. 7, U.S. Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46) presented a check for $850,000 in federal tax dollars to Orange Mayor Dan Slater, Councilman Jon Dumitr and other Orange officials to help build West Orange Park.

At the check presentation, Correa talked about the orange groves and open space that used to be abundant in the county, especially in the central cities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Orange and Garden Grove.

“Today it’s different,” said Correa. “Central Orange County is densely populated, and we need parks, we need quality of life.”

Behind the congressman, a banner of the conceptual design for the park stood as a sign of things to come. The City Council and the county of Orange signed a 50-year lease of the 2.4-acre property, which is managed by Orange County Flood Control, back in 2023. The city of Orange worked with BLDG Partners and Agora Partners to conceptualize the plan for the park and in October 2024, MIG Inc. was awarded the design contract. The concept art for the park includes art installations, a skate plaza, picnic tables with custom shade structures, kids playgrounds on both wood chip and poured rubber terrains and solar lighting throughout.

A conceptual design for the new park in West Orange near the Santa Ana River Trail.

(Sarah Mosqueda)

Slater said the addition of the park will benefit the city of Orange and the county as a whole.

“As we know, we have a lot of asphalt in Orange County and anytime we can find an opportunity to create a new park we are definitely ahead,” said Slater. “The community loves green spaces and trees and places where they can cool off and enjoy nature.”

The federal funding is part of nearly $15 million in Community Project Funding Correa secured for California’s 46th District in 2024 federal funding legislation. Correa has worked with community leaders to find projects for CA-46 constituents that had a likelihood of getting approved in spite of new restrictions introduced this year that limit the kinds of projects eligible for funding. Besides the West Orange Park project, the House passed 14 other projects Correa submitted. Among them $1,666,279 will be allocated to OC River Walk in Anaheim for the construction of a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Santa Ana River.

Slater said completion of the park is anticipated in one to two years, an event Correa said he is looking forward to.

“I want to be here when we cut that ribbon to open this area up for all of us to enjoy,” said Correa.