Santa Barbara’s Leadbetter Beach Park Getting Major Makeover for First Time in 60 Years
Significant Turf Renovation to Close Park for Three Months Beginning October 23
Leadbetter Beach Park is getting a makeover. After renovations begin on Monday, October 23, the park will be closed for about three months, with work expected to last through early January.
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department plans to regrade grassy areas to create a safer, more even surface, then address nutrient deficiencies in the soil and install new turf. It will be the first renovation the park has seen since it was developed 60 years ago.
All grassy areas of the park, including picnic areas, will be closed, and temporary fencing will remain until the project is complete. Park users will be able to access the beach on either side of the turf area throughout the project.
“This isn’t just landscaping,” said Parks Manager Simon Herrera. “The community relies on these shared outdoor spaces to gather, relax, and play, and this kind of reinvestment ensures people can do those things comfortably and safely.”
Use of the city’s public green spaces surged during the pandemic and remains at a record high, the city says. Heavy use over time has reduced Leadbetter Beach Park to just a few splotches of green grass against a mostly brown landscape.
Leadbetter is one in a string of 11 parks renovated by the Parks Department thanks to funding from the America Rescue Plan Act, which provided funds to state and local governments to invest in programs and services heavily impacted by the pandemic. Renovations at Alameda Park, Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, Chase Palm Park, and Mission Historical Park were completed earlier this year.
Visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/TurfRenovations to learn more.
