San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation has been awarded $100,000 through Trust for Public Land’s Central Valley Park Access and Activation Grant to launch Parks After Dark, a pilot initiative designed to activate neighborhood parks through free community programming and activities.
The grant was awarded through a competitive application process, with multiple communities across the Central Valley applying for funding to support park activation, projects and community engagement efforts. Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit organization that works to create and protect parks and open spaces, developed the program to help communities expand access to parks and bring positive activity into public spaces.
“Parks are essential community assets that promote health, connection and opportunity,” said Parks Administrator Ashika Lal. “This grant allows us to expand programming and bring families and neighbors back into parks through positive community activities. When parks are activated with recreation, culture and wellness programming, they become vibrant, welcoming places that encourage community presence and help reinforce safe, shared public spaces.”
The Parks After Dark pilot program is expected to launch this summer, with activities anticipated to take place between June and September at select county neighborhood parks in the Stockton area. Programming will focus on creating opportunities for residents to gather, participate in recreational and wellness activities, and connect with park services. The concept builds on the success of similar “Parks After Dark” initiatives in other California communities, where expanded evening programming and community activities have helped increase park use and strengthen connections between residents and their neighborhood parks.
In the coming weeks, San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation will also seek community feedback on the types of programs residents would like to see offered in their neighborhood parks this summer. This input will help shape programming and ensure activities reflect the interests and needs of surrounding communities. San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation will implement Parks After Dark in collaboration with County departments and local community-based organizations, with an emphasis on outreach to engage diverse residents and ensure broad community participation.
Additional program details, park locations and opportunities to provide community feedback will be announced in the coming months. For more information, call (209) 331-2050 or email parksevents@sjgov.org.
