With the help of the community, Elings Park reached the milestone goal of raising $200,000 in under two months, unlocking a gift of $1 million from an anonymous donor to help cover the costs for extensive renovations of the three fields at the Castagnola Softball Complex.
The “Swing for a Million” fundraising challenge was launched in March, when Elings Park announced that a generous donor had committed to giving $1 million if the community stepped up and raised at least $200,000 before May 1. The fundraiser brought in a variety of donations, from businesses to community groups to families and individuals eager to help the park reach its goal toward the long-awaited field upgrades.
“Over the last eight weeks, our entire community rallied big time for Elings Park,” said Bruce Giffin, Park Board vice president and head of the Elings Park Infrastructure Campaign (EPIC!). “It was truly a team effort and a heartfelt reminder that Santa Barbara is a remarkable community committed to the health and vibrancy of this phenomenal place we all call home.”
Eling Park, which operates as a nonprofit, relies solely on donations, grant funding, and user fees to cover costs for upkeep and improvements. It receives no city or county funds and is the largest community-supported public park in the country. The softball field renovation is just the latest in a string of projects coordinated through the EPIC! Program.
The softball field renovations are scheduled to begin May 18, and work is expected to continue across the three fields through October. These upgrades include laser-leveling of the grass outfields, updates to the irrigation system, and improvements to the soil and dirt warning tracks around the fields. Work will be organized in phases so at least one field will be available for public use at all times.
Elings Park will host a groundbreaking ceremony on May 28, where the anonymous million-dollar donor will be revealed, along with other major contributors to the softball renovation project.
“Everyone at the park is deeply grateful to everyone who helped us reach this goal, including the softball community for their outreach, donors for their financial contributions, and our local media for getting the word out,” Giffin said. “Thank you all for helping us Swing for the Million! You knocked it out of the park!”
