Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park named 2019 Project of the Year
The Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park opened March 2019 with lots of activities for kids and adults.
The Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park is appreciated by more than just Old Town Goleta residents.
The California Central Coast chapter of the American Public Works Association named it 2019 Project of the Year.
The award was presented last week during a virtual awards ceremony, which was attended by many Goleta city staff members. The city received compliments on the design, amenities and project result.
The park, located at 170 S. Kellogg Ave. in Goleta, topped other structures in the $2 to $5 million range.
The project opened in March 2019 and was nominated later that year, but the ceremony was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park is a wonderful community park that can be enjoyed by visitors of all age groups and is a reflection of the close collaboration and outreach between the City and the residents of Old Town in the design and layout of the park,” Vyto Adomaitis, director of neighborhood services and public safety, said in a statement. “Our excellent staff at the City and our construction management team, Filippin Engineering, did a truly outstanding job in delivering this long-awaited and beloved project on time and under budget.”
The park contains a multi-purpose field, basketball court, handball court, concrete ping-pong table, bocce ball court, pickleball court, perimeter walking path, fitness nodes with exercise equipment, picnic areas and a skateboard plaza. A splash pad is currently being designed and is estimated to be added in mid to late 2021.
“It is fantastic to see Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park recognized as Project of the Year. The park is an asset to the community, and it is a great feeling to have it recognized by the APWA Central Coast Chapter,” Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said in a statement.
Each year, APWA presents the Public Works Projects of the Year awards to promote excellence in the management and administration of public works projects, recognizing the alliance between the managing agency, the contractor, the consultant, and their cooperative achievements. The award takes into consideration – use of good construction management techniques, safety performance during construction, community relations efforts, demonstrated awareness for the need to protect the environment during the project, unusual accomplishments under adverse conditions, use of alternative materials, practices of funding and commitment to sustainability. An award-winning project demonstrates each of these categories, officials said.
Goleta’s newest park was named after the late Ms. Wallis, who was one of the city of Goleta’s founders and an advocate of Old Town, parks and open space.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
