Council approves plans for a new recreation and sports park in Shafter

The Shafter City Council approved moving forward with plans of building a new recreation and sports park at Golds Avenue and East Ash Avenue.

The park is to be built in two phases, and when completed, the park would include a 28,000 square foot gymnasium, tennis/pickleball courts, basketball courts, a dog park, office buildings, and a concession stand. This project is being led by Shafter Recreation and Parks District Manager Philip Jimenez, who has been working with his board for years to get the project moved forward.

The project is state funded. To be approved, the area had to be changed from being a commercial zone to a public area zone. This change was also approved Tuesday night.

In other action, Melissa Bergen and Katie Wiebe presented to the council plans for a thrift store in Shafter. Bergen said that the store would be similar to a Goodwill store, except it would be run by community members as a nonprofit. Proceeds would go to the Mennonite Central Network, but 10% of the proceeds would go to the community.

Wiebe said that they will be having a lunch open to the public on Oct. 9 at the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church on Kern Street. There will be information there detailing plans for the project, what they are planning to do to get the project completed, as well as an opportunity to help the cause with a donation.

Bergen said that the items at the thrift store would be items donated by the community. They would include household items, clothing, toys, sporting goods and more. She assured the council that the store would be a clean and friendly place where communitymembers could gather to buy quality items at a large discount. Bergen and Wiebe got the idea for the store from the success of the Shafter Christmas Store, which allows parents to buy toys for their children at a big discount around the holidays.