Nectarine Park Back in Businesses

Just in time for summer vacation, Old Town Goleta’s Nectarine Park reopened on Thursday — and with improvements.

Previously just a collection of play equipment situated in dirt and sand, the park now also features rubberized flooring, a cement tricycle path, and multiple benches. There is new fencing, too, and an irrigation system to water the newly planted flowers and shrubs.

“There are few things that give pleasure that a city council gets to do,” said Mayor Ed Easton. “Creating parks is one of the all-time fun things.”

The entrance to the park, which the city’s management analyst, Claudia Dato, said serves as a bus stop for approximately 80 to 100 kids, is now paved, protected by yellow bollards, and shaded by a structure paid for with RDA funds.

The park, which sits across from the intersection of Nectarine Avenue and Mandarin Drive, was closed for about six weeks to make the changes, which were paid for by the Community Development Block Grant program.

“Any day you can open a park for the community’s kids is a good day,” said Dan Singer, Goleta’s city manager. “It’s such an asset.”