New park coming to southern Santa Cruz County

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV)- On Tuesday morning, The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a purchase agreement that will bring a brand new 38.5 acre park in Watsonville.

The space will be on Whiting Road Road right next to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

The park will include multiple athletic fields, a nature trail, and a demonstration farm among other features. The initial development phase of the park is expected to take up to 18 months.

According to the Board of Supervisors, the $2.3 million purchase will help meet equity goals for Southern Santa Cruz County which is underserved when it comes to open space and recreational opportunities.

“Seeing this vision become reality is a dream come true for South County constituents
and all Santa Cruz County residents,” Santa Cruz District 4 Supervisor Felipe Hernandez said. “We are proud to have finally secured this land on behalf of the community and look forward to opening it
to the public.”

This will be the first park acquired by the County in over 20 years. This will also be the second park in the southern part of Santa Cruz County.