During their meeting on October 2, 2024, the Los Banos City Council unanimously approved spending almost $1.7 million for improvements to the Ag Sports Complex at 700 N. Mercey Springs Road.
Under Item 7E on the Consent Calendar, the Council awarded the Construction Contract to Los Banos-based Ronnys Inc. who won the bid, and authorized City Manager Josh Pinheiro to execute the agreement in the amount of $1,669,918.10. At staff’s request, they also amended the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget by increasing appropriations in the Park Development account in the amount of $240,418.00.
According to the staff report on the item, the AG Sports Complex was built in the 1980s on part of a former landfill. The Complex currently consists of approximately 9.5 acres of developed land that includes two softball fields, a parking lot, a dog park, a concessions and restroom building and a playground.
It is one of the largest parks in Los Banos and is designated as a community park by the Parks Master Plan. It is used by both youth and adult sports groups. The Complex has residential and regional access by serving the surrounding subdivision and being accessible from Highway 165.
It has deteriorated in condition since the 1980s and both fields feature out-of-date irrigation and grading issues.
The project will renovate each field, improve the irrigation system, replace the outfield netting, install trees along the outfield perimeter of each field, remove and replace the deteriorated batting cage area, replace the playground and fencing from the dugouts to the outfields.
Improvements will create safe playing conditions for athletes and the aesthetic improvements will help to solidify AG Sports Complex as a destination park for Los Banos.
On March 3, 2021, Parks staff brought forward improvements for the AG Sports Complex, including funding awarded as part of the Per Capita grant program. City Council authorized the grant application and design process.
The item was approved on a motion adopting the entire Consent Calendar on a 5-0 vote.
During the City Manager Report portion of the agenda Pinheiro said, Parks and Recreation Director “Joe Heim…was in that parking lot and remembers looking at the Ag Sports Complex and thinking, ‘they’re working on it. But it’s in bad shape.’ That was six years ago.”
“I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to staff…and council…to get this taken care of,” he continued. “I must admit there’s been a lot of conversations about different parks. I’m really happy and proud of all the hard work by the team throughout the city…and mayor…and Councilman Lambert for pushing on this.”
See complete council meeting agenda packet and meeting video..
