Community Updates

JANUARY 20, 2023

After 12.64” of rain in December and 6.23” of rain in January, there hasn’t been a lot of movement on the project site in the village. Bobo is continuing to work on the roof of the Arts & Crafts Building and roughing in electrical in the Clubhouse Auditorium; however, site work has been made impossible by the muddy and wet conditions. 

Throughout the recent storms Bobo has been working diligently to manage storm water run-off in an effort to avoid flooding our neighbors or letting construction-dirtied water from entering our storm water system. 

But the sun is out now and everyone is back to work! The parking areas along the front of the Clubhouse and both the north and south side of Village Park have been completed in a big way. The hope is to stripe those parking spaces during the week of January the 23rd. Once that is completed, those parking areas will open to the general public while constructions continues elsewhere throughout the project site. 

The site needed to be tidied up after the storms to ensure that there wasn’t water where it shouldn’t be (such as in under-slab electrical conduits). Expect work to begin soon on the concrete pad for the new Amphitheater building. The goal is still to have connections completed by PG&E by the end of February. Once the pad is in place, we all should see some rapid progression on the building – especially framing up walls and making the site look a little bit more like the building it will one day be.

JANUARY 6, 2023

Rain has hampered progress throughout the Village Park site, creating muddy conditions which prevent work from continuing. Despite that setback, Bobo Construction has been performing what work they can to remain on schedule. 

Electricians continue to rough in the electrical throughout the Clubhouse.  

Immediately prior to the last rain event, construction had begun on the permeable pavers which will form the parking stalls. The nose-in parking along California Avenue is about halfway completed and looks great! The District still plans on opening parking to the public once completed, though the remainder of the site will stay closed while construction continues throughout. 

The District is working with SMUD to align site electrical with the area’s current electrical setup and future needs. 

The District is working closely with PG&E to provide utility hook-ups for the future Amphitheatre and Community Center building. This connection must wait until the footings are finalized on that structure. Expectations are that it will likely be the beginning of February before this occurs. 

The District is working closely with the Fair Oaks Water District on site needs whether it be for irrigation, potable water in the facilities, or fire hydrants and fire suppression systems. 

Bobo Construction has identified a leak in the Clubhouse roof and is currently seeking the source to provide a fix. 

The new roof on the Arts & Crafts Building is progressing nicely. The District is pleased to note that there were no leaks present during the last few rain events, and the interior of the building remains in good condition. 

Footings and posts have been erected for the new arbor being installed between the Amphitheatre and the Village Park playground. 

Once the weather clears and the ground dries expect to see construction back up to full speed! 

View the 2022 Recap Video HERE

Bond Measure Credit Rating

Measure J was a first-ever General Obligation Bond Measure that was passed by the Voters of Fair Oaks in November 2018 for $26.9 million dollars to do Park renovations and improvements.

To sell the Bonds, the Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District (FORPD) needed to obtain a Bond Rating, which is very similar to a credit score. FORPD sought a Bond Rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) which is the oldest credit ranking agency and one of the three Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations accredited by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company covers more than one million credit ratings on government and corporate bonds, structured finance entities, and securities.

Bond ratings are representations of the creditworthiness of government bonds. The rating is published by S&P and provide evaluations of FORPD’s financial strength and capacity to repay the bond’s principal and interest.

This October, S&P Global Ratings assigned it’s “AA-“ long-term rating to Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District for the third and final issuance of Bonds from the 2018 Measure J General Obligation Bond.

An AA- rating is given to entities that have a very high capacity to repay their loans due to their financial position and attitude towards repaying debt. FORPD’S Board of Directors currently led by Chairman Raymond James Irwin, Vice Chair Darren Mounts, Director Ralph Carhart, Director Delinda Tamagni, and Director John O’Farrell have practiced sound financial management that has created the opportunity to receive such a high credit rating. The AA- rating is estimated to save the taxpayers of Fair Oaks $900,000.

S&P says this about FORPD:

Very diverse tax base in the Sacramento region with very strong incomes and extremely strong property wealth indicators.

Record of maintaining strong to very strong available general fund reserves.

Strong financial position that is supported by predictable tax revenues.

The stable outlook reflects our (S&P) expectation of continued balanced operational results, despite rising expenditures over the next few fiscal years.

FAIR OAKS RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT RECEIVES AN AA- CREDIT RATING FOR THE SALE OF THEIR MEASURE J BONDS

Measure J was a first ever General Obligation Bond Measure that was passed by the Voters of Fair Oaks in November 2018 for $26.9 million dollars to do Park renovations and improvements.

To sell the Bonds, the Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District (FORPD) needed to obtain a Bond Rating, which is very similar to a credit score.  FORPD sought a Bond Rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) which is the oldest credit ranking agency and one of the three Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations accredited by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  The company covers more than one million credit ratings on government and corporate bonds, structured finance entities, and securities.  

Bond ratings are representations of the creditworthiness of government bonds.  The rating is published by S&P and provide evaluations of FORPD’s financial strength and capacity to repay the bond’s principal and interest.

This October, S&P Global Ratings assigned it’s “AA-“ long-term rating to Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District for the third and final issuance of Bonds from the 2018 Measure J General Obligation Bond.

An AA- rating is given to entities that have a very high capacity to repay their loans due to their financial position and attitude towards repaying debt.  FORPD’S Board of Directors currently led by Chairman Raymond James Irwin, Vice Chair Darren Mounts, Director Ralph Carhart, Director Delinda Tamagni, and Director John O’Farrell have practiced sound financial management that has created the opportunity to receive such a high credit rating.  The AA- rating is estimated to save the taxpayers of Fair Oaks $900,000.

S&P says this about FORPD:

•    Very diverse tax base in Sacramento region with very strong incomes and extremely strong property wealth indicators.

•    Record of maintaining strong to very strong available general fund reserves.

•    Strong financial position that is supported by predictable tax revenues.

•    The stable outlook reflects our (S&P) expectation of continued balanced operational results, despite rising expenditures over the next few fiscal years.

10/3/2022 VILLAGE PARK CONSTRUCTION update

Bobo Construction continues to work throughout the project site at Village Park; currently, they are working to backfill the parking areas along Temescal Street and Park Drive in order to re-pave those areas. Soon, they will be pouring concrete for curbs and gutters throughout those areas before paving the parking stalls themselves. Once those are done, the parking areas will once again be open for public use while Bobo continues other portions of the project. Parking will still remain restricted as they move on to other areas surrounding the site to perform work on other parking stalls, though the District is exploring other avenues in the village in order to widen the breadth of options for public parking during  construction. 

The foundation for the new Amphitheater building is progressing smoothly. Compaction is complete and the layout for utilities and footings have been lined out and prepared. 

Meanwhile, trenching for utility lines is being performed throughout the site, as well as rebar installation in several key retaining wall and ramp areas. Construction on the ADA ramp to the Clubhouse entrance has been paused in order to enact a federally required NEPA study as part of the ~$500k grant the District is receiving through Congressman Ami Bera’s office. 

We’ll soon be moving into the rainy season, so expect delays as the site becomes unworkable due to standing (or falling) water. The District still expects to remain on schedule despite these eventual slow-downs. 

8/19/22 village park construction

Bobo Construction is continuing to make progress throughout the job site. 

Power has been eliminated from Plaza Park, so grubbing and grading was able to begin in that area. The Amphitheater restroom building is currently being underpinned due to its footing being exposed as part of the new building’s construction. 

Throughout the project site, stakes have been set to set levels for grading. There will be a few places where the topography of the parks changes pretty impressively. 

Inside the Clubhouse, the restrooms have been demolished completely. Upstairs, the restrooms are being framed in in preparation for the new construction; downstairs the concrete pad is soon to be saw-cut to allow for new piping to be installed for the expanded bathrooms. The framing for the chair lift that will lead up to the stage is completed; meanwhile, in the Fireside Room, demolition has been completed and the fireplace will very soon be capped and hidden. 

Some additional cracking has been identified on the exterior of the Clubhouse, and the District had investigations performed to ascertain the best method of repair. 

If you’ve been through the area, you’ve likely noticed that several sections of parking have been torn out to make way for the new. The District expects those to be open again for public parking within several weeks. Timing on the closure of parking adjacent to Plaza Park is still being discussed between the District and Bobo construction.  The trees throughout the site are continuing to be watered. 

Included for your perusal – this week’s copy of the project’s 3-week look ahead. 

8/1/22 VILLAGE PARK CONSTRUCTION

Clearing, grubbing, and off-hauling of materials continue throughout the project site and will continue to do so at least through the following week. As this process continues, site protections such as storm water retention measures are put in place to ensure that liquids and dust are contained within the project site.

The roof of the Arts & Crafts building is being demolished in preparation for the new roof that will be installed later.

Inside the Clubhouse, hazardous materials mitigation measures are underway in order to prepare for the construction tasks therein. Soon, the blower for the theater organ at the backside of the clubhouse will be removed and kept safe so that demolition for the new stairwell can begin. The blower will be re-installed later in the project timeline so that the theater organ can still be enjoyed by future generations.

In Plaza Park, the time capsule that was buried near the old Rotary arbor will soon be dug up. Don’t worry too much about witnessing it, as the District will not yet be opening the capsule. This construction project will only be moving the time capsule to another location where it can rest until its appointed time without being buried underneath the footings of our new amphitheater building.

You may have noticed that parking is being blocked off and torn up in several locations around the site. The District expects these areas to be closed for approximately four months before they are opened back up again to allow for continued access to the amenities of the village.

Please take a moment to look at the three week look-ahead provided by Bobo Construction that outlines various tasks they will be accomplishing throughout the site. Expect documents like this to be provided alongside updates as we move forward on the construction.

VILLAGE PARKING LOT CLOSURES

Due to Measure J Village Park Construction projects, certain District parking lots will be temporarily closed.  The following District parking lots will be closed beginning the week of  August 1-5, 2022, and will remain closed for approximately four (4) months pending weather and other circumstances:

Park Drive

• Impact:  Park Drive playground parking spaces*
• Initial Closure Date: Monday, August 1, 2022

Old Fair Oaks Library (4200 Temescal St.)

• Impact: All Old Fair Oaks Library parking spaces*
• Initial Closure Date: Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse (7997 California Ave.)

• Impact: All Clubhouse parking spaces*
• Initial Closure Date: Wednesday, August 3, 2022

See the map below for closure details.

The result of these and other upcoming parking closures are going to increase total parking spaces surrounding District property to enhance the Village parking experience as well as to install pervious pavement and new curbing in order to improve the accessibility, efficiency, and appearance of District parking lots in the Village.  The timeline of this process is being planned to minimize weather impacts or other potential delays.  Parking spaces in other areas of District property in the Village will remain open as long as possible to allow for current closures to be completed and re-opened to the public.

VILLAGE PARKING LOT CLOSURES

Due to Measure J Village Park Construction projects, certain District parking lots will be temporarily closed.  The following District parking lots will be closed beginning the week of  August 1-5, 2022, and will remain closed for approximately four (4) months pending weather and other circumstances:

Park Drive

• Impact:  Park Drive playground parking spaces*
• Initial Closure Date: Monday, August 1, 2022

Old Fair Oaks Library (4200 Temescal St.)

• Impact: All Old Fair Oaks Library parking spaces*
• Initial Closure Date: Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse (7997 California Ave.)

• Impact: All Clubhouse parking spaces*
• Initial Closure Date: Wednesday, August 3, 2022

See the map below for closure details.

The result of these and other upcoming parking closures are going to increase total parking spaces surrounding District property to enhance the Village parking experience as well as to install pervious pavement and new curbing in order to improve the accessibility, efficiency, and appearance of District parking lots in the Village.  The timeline of this process is being planned to minimize weather impacts or other potential delays.  Parking spaces in other areas of District property in the Village will remain open as long as possible to allow for current closures to be completed and re-opened to the public.

VILLAGE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

VILLAGE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The District has approved a General Contractor bid with BoBo Construction for the Village & Plaza Park construction project.  View the video update HERE.

BID PROCESS update

We are currently in the middle of the bid process for the Village/Plaza Renovation project. Bids will be opened on April 12th, staff will make a determination on winning bidder, and they will present their recommendation at the April meeting of the Board of Directors. With the Board's approval, staff will issue a notice to proceed and construction can then begin. We anticipate construction will begin at the end of April, some time around the 25th. When staff receives the bids and can determine the final costs associated with the project in the village, they can begin to make determinations as to which other planned Measure J projects can commence. 

The District has pre-qualified a set of 6 contractors for the bidding process required to begin construction for the Village/Plaza Renovation. There will be a 45 day window where the bid will be advertised and the District will await responses from potential contractors. Once that is complete, staff will choose an appropriate contractor and bring their recommendation to the Board of Directors. Once staff receives the Board’s approval, a Notice to Proceed will be issued and construction can begin. Our construction management firm, ICS, estimates that this Notice to Proceed can be initiated by April 22nd. If all goes according to plan, construction will begin at that time. Of course, unforeseen circumstances may still require the District to update that timeline. 

Once the bids are received and the District has an accurate accounting of the costs associated with the Village Renovation we can ascertain which other projects can begin moving forward. Stay tuned for updates on those other projects in the upcoming months!

Jim Streng Park is open to the public and ready for recreating! The grand opening of Jim Streng Park was an absolute success. The community showed up in force to make the event a truly memorable occasion. FORPD was so happy to see all of you who could attend. The monument sign is the last piece of the park that is still processing; the proof is approved and the sign should be manufactured soon. Stay tuned! 

The renovations in the village are still awaiting final approvals from the County. District staff is working as hard as they can to push this project along. FORPD is still anticipating a construction start date in early 2022. We are all incredibly excited to finally be able to break ground, but we temper that excitement with the knowledge that the pre-construction process is unavoidable. Currently, the District’s construction management firm, ICS, is pre-qualifying contractors to enable a speedier bidding process. The District is also in talks to pre-purchase the site’s playground equipment in order to battle rising costs and delays in material deliveries. 

La Vista’s lease option is still under deliberation between the two entities involved: FORPD and San Juan Unified School District. Out of sync Board schedules slows communication to a degree while both parties work towards an agreement that satisfies the community’s needs. 

Meanwhile, work is still progressing towards paving the gravel parking lot at Phoenix Park between the Community Gardens and the Phoenix Dog Park. District staff is working towards engineered drawings that can be sent to the County for permitting. 

JIM STRENG PARK

Jim Streng Park is ready for public use! The District is still waiting on the manufacturing and installation of the park’s monument sign, but otherwise we are happy to invite everyone to head out to the park and enjoy the new amenities.

VILLAGE CONSTRUCTION

The Village Revitalization Project is still stuck with County design review. Our architects are confident that the comments they have been receiving are almost entirely satisfied which will enable us to begin the bid process and move towards construction’s start. Due to timing requirements of this process, it is unlikely that construction will be able to start in earnest until after the new year.

LA VISTA PROPERTY

 District staff is still working closely with San Juan Unified School District staff in order to come to an agreement on the La Vista property.

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

Other projects are being placed on hold until the District is provided with updated cost estimates to be sure that the rising cost of materials does not prohibit further activities.

Village Renovation

District staff held the first pre-construction meeting for work to be performed in the village. This meeting concerned demolition of buildings in the village in preparation for the larger construction project that will be transforming the area.

Expectations were laid out to the contractor in charge of demolition and questions were answered regarding scope. The District’s expectation is for demolition to begin once all the required paperwork has been filed with the County by our contractor; approximately 10 working days.

Staff is close to being able to review the most recent, and hopefully final, comments from the County on the overall project’s construction documents. Once these comments are reviewed, the plans will be sent back to the County for, again hopefully, a final time. The District is confident that the bid process for the main body of work will begin in September. This will take approximately 45 days and coordination with an upcoming Board of Director’s meeting to provide final approval and a notice to proceed. 

Jim Streng Park

At Jim Streng Park, construction continues. Much of the concrete has been poured, the natural play area has been set, irrigation is in and ready for plants, and we are awaiting word from the playground installer as to when they can begin. Progress continues steadily at the site. 

La Vista Softball Fields

The agreement for the lease on La Vista’s fields is with District Council. Once cleared, the contract will be taken to each organization’s Board of Directors for the final agreement. 

Jim Streng Park

Jim Streng Park is well under way; grading, irrigation, and utilities have been installed throughout the park. Access points are being graded and compacted, and the playground is set to begin being installed during the second week of August. The project remains on schedule.

Village Renovation

Village, Plaza and the Amphitheater still remain in the County’s hands. District staff are confidently hopeful that this will be the final round of comments from the County. A contract has been approved by our Board of Directors for demolition and abatement of hazardous materials, though the District has a 90 day window to hold the contract in order to attempt to align the demolition with the construction throughout the site. The District’s construction management firm holds that the bid process for the overall construction should begin in September.

Softball Fields

There has been no further progress on La Vista Fields or Phoenix Park at this time.

Jim Streng Park

Construction has begun on Jim Streng Park off of Hazel Avenue and Lake Nimbus Drive! At this point, the project is revolving around grading and underground utilities. Construction is expected to last through September. 

Village Renovation

In the Village, District staff are still working through the permitting process and on moving a water line from within the District’s property. Staff are currently in the bidding process for a demolition contractor. Once that is completed, the selected bidder’s contract will be taken to the Board of Directors for approval at the July 28th Board of Director’s meeting. Once approval is received, staff have a 90 day timeline to issue the Notice to Proceed. This window is so that timing can be coordinated between demolition and construction so as to prevent demolished buildings from sitting for too long prior to the start of construction.

Demolition is expected to take about two months. Current timeline estimates point to construction beginning in September 2021, but we have to wait for the final sign-off from the County prior to beginning, so the start date is a bit of an unknown at this point. 

La Vista Softball Fields

The District is still in talks with San Juan Unified School District to lease property at La Vista School off of Bannister Road in order to move the Phoenix Park girls’ softball field project from Phoenix to the La Vista School site. More news should be available no later than August. 

Phoenix Park Dog Park & Community Gardens

The FORPD Board of Directors have approved movement on paving the large dirt and gravel parking lot at Phoenix Park between the Dog Park and Community Gardens. District staff is currently working on identifying an exact design for the space to maximize parking availability prior to finding contractors to perform the work. 

Village/Plaza Park

District staff is in discussions with the Fair Oaks Water District and PG&E concerning water and gas lines that travel through the parking lot in front of the Clubhouse. Until a resolution is reached, construction may be delayed. In addition, final permits for the project are still under review with Sacramento County. Demolition is still slated to begin in early summer.

Jim Streng Park

The District is finalizing the last encroachment permit that is required before construction can commence. Staff expects construction to begin over the next two weeks.

La Vista Fields

District staff is in discussions to enact a lease agreement with San Juan Unified School District in order to acquire property at SJUSD’s La Vista School site off of Bannister Road. SJUSD will discuss and potentially agree to terms in June, and then it falls to each organization’s respective Boards of Directors to finalize and enact the lease agreement. The property would allow the proposed Phoenix girls’ softball fields to be moved from Phoenix to La Vista’s site.

Other News

The Fair Oaks Board of Directors has approved the paving of the gravel parking lot at Phoenix Park to commence. District staff is working towards accomplishing this goal in fiscal year 21/22.

The Fair Oaks Board of Directors has approved pickle ball courts to be placed at Fair Oaks Park. The current skate park will be moved to the west and re-designed and pickle ball courts will be added in their place

District staff has begun exploring options for phasing in a possible bike park expansion at Phoenix Park.

The Village/Plaza Project is still waiting on plan review with the county. At this point, the District is working with the Fair Oaks Water District and PG&E to potentially move a water line and a gas line that each travel through the old right of way (now the Clubhouse parking lot). Moving these lines will allow access for future maintenance without forcing any damage to the newly renovated park space. Talks are in progress on how to accomplish this task with as little impact to the public as possible. Demolition of some areas of the site is still estimated to begin towards the end of May.

Talks with San Juan Unified School District for the La Vista School property are moving along nicely; there will potentially be a meeting of our two organizations’ respective Boards in the near future. The acquisition of La Vista would enable a space for girls’ softball fields and varied other District uses within the expansive grounds of the site.

A small amount of Measure J funding was utilized to re-open the unsafe playground in the middle of Phoenix Park; it is now safe and inviting for your family to visit. Bring your kids and have fun!

Swallow Way is slightly delayed due to permitting issues with the County, but the District expects construction to begin very soon.

At April’s Board meeting, the Board of Directors approved staff’s request to move forward on paving the gravel parking lot at Phoenix Park which is adjacent to the Community Gardens. This paving project was approved via community outreach in the original plans for the area as a way to relieve the parking impaction throughout the park, and the project can commence without affecting the potential for the undeveloped areas at Phoenix Park, which will be going back to public outreach when the District is ready to move forward with the broader projects there as a whole.

The District put out a Spring Preview with updates on the Village Park renovation project. You can view that video on Facebook.

Measure J Projects continue on at pace!

Jim Streng Park’s construction documents have been completed and have gone to bid. The District will be considering all bids submitted before picking the appropriate bidder. Construction will commence soon after the bidding process is complete.

Some additional Measure J funding was supplied to the Fair Oaks Bike Park to install an irrigation system and a rolling gate to close the area for maintenance. Final bids are back on the gate fabrication and install, and construction will commence in the beginning of February. The irrigation system was designed and installed by District staff, which was a great cost saving measure while still ensuring high quality workmanship.

Village, Plaza, the Community Clubhouse, and the Veteran’s Memorial Amphitheater are getting closer to construction every day. The park site construction documents are at 100%, the Amphitheater plans at 95%, and the Clubhouse plans are awaiting permits. There is still some final review required of each set of plans before the District goes out to bid. We’ll keep working on each set diligently.

As always, for more information check out the District’s webpage set up to promote transparency at https://forpd.icitywork.com.

The Village and Plaza Park projects continue in construction document creation and review. COVID-19 has created delays in the review process throughout construction projects across the nation.

Improvements to the Community Clubhouse continue as well. At this point, designs are set and District staff are in the process of deciding on materials and aesthetics for the project.

The Veteran’s Memorial Amphitheater is likewise on-going, as staff is working closely with project architects to identify all potential issues with the design and correct those issues during the finalization of construction documents.

*Project start dates are still estimated to be within quarter one 2021 or the first half of 2021.

Designs for the Village Park project have been returned from the county with comments and are being reviewed by District personnel. Currently they are considered to be at 65% and will need to be updated and returned to County design review. The Amphitheater design is likewise progressing through County design review. Construction is still expected to begin in the first half of 2021.

Construction for Jim Streng Park is awaiting a final construction timeline based on Covid-19 related delays with County design review; however, District staff estimates that construction will begin soon.

Measure J projects continue their review with Sacramento County. Swallow Way, which has been officially named Jim Streng Park, has received comments back from Sac County and staff has worked together with landscape architects to meet those requirements. The changes are minor and will not affect the overall park design. Review continues on the project at Village and Plaza Park, the Community Clubhouse, and the Veteran’s Memorial Amphitheater.

The Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District's Board of Directors are seeking applicants for the Bond Oversight Committee (BOC), the independent advisory committee to the Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District’s board. The BOC will be responsible for the overview of bond expenditures and to certify that all bond funds will only be spent on allowable bond projects as identified in the ballot language of Measure J. For complete details and to apply please visit https://www.forpd.org/355/Bond-Oversight-Committee.

The deadline to submit is 9/8/20 by 5pm.