2001 Newsroom Archive

Granite Regional Park - Grand Opening
"Newest Regional Park in More than Seven Decades"

Sacramento, California, April 17, 2001 - The first phase of a four-phase park project is nearing completion. Granite Regional Park, located in the southeast portion of the City, officially opens with great fanfare on Sunday, April 22, 2001.

At build out, which is expected to take approximately 10 to 15 years, Granite Regional Park will exceed 145-acres of park and wetlands. Not since Franklin Roosevelt was president, and not since the great depression of 1929, has Sacramento seen the creation and development of a regional park to serve the community.

The grand opening of Granite Regional Park is unlike any other grand opening in recent memory. Performances by the Soulful Bluez Catz band and the Alincia & the Rythmatics band will entertain the public with a variety of music throughout the day. A fish derby for children will take place at Granite Regional Park Lake. Sports fans will see soccer and rugby leagues performing exhibition games; horseshoe-throwing enthusiasts will demonstrate their skills; and Granite Dog Park will be opened to the public. Children and teenagers from several City after school programs will perform to the delight of everyone. Carnival games and jump house will entertain the young and the young at heart. There are plenty of picnic tables, so bring the picnic lunch and enjoy the day. A wide variety of food vendors will be on hand to satisfy the taste buds everyone.

"Granite Regional Park is a successful joint venture between the public and private sector," said Don Murphy, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. "We're transforming these previously unearthed gravel pits into a regional park that will serve Sacramentans and the region for generations to come." Long-range plans for Granite Regional Park include an amphitheater, tennis courts, baseball fields, playgrounds and a community center.

The site is located at 3321 Power Inn Road - off of Highway 50 - just south of Folsom Boulevard. Granite Construction Company turned the land over to the City of Sacramento after mining the site. The local development firms of Separovich-Domich, Panattoni Construction, and Granite Construction Company, purchased back some of the site for office buildings, which is now nearing completion. In return, the developers are paying City fees that will fund park improvements.

The grand opening will be on Sunday, April 22, 2001, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. An official dedication ceremony will be held at the main stage on soccer field #1 at 12:30 p.m. Several City officials and dignitaries will be on hand at the ceremony, including Mayor Heather Fargo, City Councilmembers, Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg, and representatives of the Board of Supervisors.