Glendale News-Press: Central Park Block Project Receives $6 Million Grant

“This community-driven design ensures that the park becomes a dynamic space for residents and visitors of all ages and backgrounds and sets the stage for a more expansive and engaging park experience,” Bulanikian said.

Planned physical improvements for the park include new nature-inspired children’s playgrounds, a splash pad, restroom and outdoor shower, outdoor fitness plaza, outdoor amphitheater, elevated wood boardwalk, gathering spaces in multiple plazas with seating and improved accessibility through an upgraded drop-off plaza with handicapped parking and upgraded landscaping.

The $5.95 million federal investment will go toward construction of the new playground, restroom, splash pad, landscaping and pavers.

Bulanikian said Central Park will also feature new amenities including new bike racks, drinking fountains, benches, and lighting, in addition to extensive landscaping and beautification efforts, with the installation of approximately 70 new trees and 3,000 new shrubs and plants.

Upgrades, he said, center around a “Grand Steps” concept that emphasizes an entry point to the park from the Brand Boulevard paseo with grand steps leading up to the park’s Great Lawn from the paseo to encourage use by all ages.

The Armenian American Museum will be on one side of the park and the Glendale Library, on the other.

Bulanikian said the city will host a summer concert series at the amphitheater that’s being installed. There will also be art shows, movies in the park and other concert events.

The hope, he said, is that local nonprofit organizations will rent out facilities to provide programming for Glendale residents.

Community Services and Parks and the library plan to offer joint programming, such as library story time out in the park during the summer.

Glendale released a notice inviting bids for construction of the project on June 4 and city staff is anticipating awarding a construction contract in early October.

The city anticipates construction for the Central Park Block Project will begin in January 2026 and that it’ll be completed between spring to summer of 2027, in alignment with the opening of the Armenian American Museum. Construction of the project is estimated to cost between $13 to $15 million with an additional $1.4 million for planning and design. The balance of costs will be covered by the city’s General Fund, Bulanikian added.

Glendale received a letter that it had received the grant award through the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program on Sept. 25, 2024, which Bulanikian said, aligned with construction budgeting discussions and helped ensure that the city had the necessary funding to complete the project.

Through the program, the city said in a news release, the National Park Service planned to invest $254.68 million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks. Glendale was chosen as one of 15 neighborhood park projects in California for the grant to increase public access to outdoor recreation, with a focus on parkpoor and historically underserved areas.

Bulanikian said the grant award did require additional work and reporting to meet federal requirements relating to environmental considerations. However, at this time, grant requirements have not delayed the project.

On Sept. 10, Bulanikian said the city received a letter from the state saying Glendale had passed the first round of requirements and that its grant award had been issued with special conditions awaiting the completion and approval of Section 106 for the project.

Bulanikian said the city also submitted a $3 million “community project funding” grant to U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman’s office which she submitted to go to the appropriations committee.

“All of our communities deserve access to outdoor spaces where families can come together and bond, play, or exercise. With the help of federal investments like these, families in Glendale are now one step closer to being connected with the great outdoors. Just as importantly, every federal dollar means one less dollar local taxpayers have to cover,” Friedman said in a news release. “When it comes to bringing home investments to my district, I’ll continue advocating for every penny we can get.”