At last Tuesday's Paso Robles City Council meeting, members discussed the need for improvements at Sherwood Park such as lighting and turf upgrades. In addition, the need for more athletic fields with the growing number of organizations the past few years.
“We've been hearing from our user groups that we need more sports fields to really meet the demand of the growing number of sports participants in our community," Paso Robles Community Services Director Angelica Fortin said.
The number of people using outdoor sports fields has almost doubled from 2019 to 2023, according to the annual sport field user group report. It grew exponentially after COVID-19, when participation was it its lowest.
There are currently 19 organizations using outdoor fields, but 16 available spaces. That number will drop to 14 available spaces once the city loses access to Pioneer Park after selling the majority of it to the Paso Robles Event Center.
Right now, the Georgia Brown Campus is shuttered and its fields are not being used.
“Last Tuesday with City Council voted to do was to take a position with the school board," Fortin added. "That would allow us to share our preference that the 36th Street campus include open spaces and fields that would allow the community more access to playing spaces.”
Sherwood Park is due to see upgrades, but there is no update on where the funding will come from. The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District says there's no plan as of now to discuss the use of the elementary school on 36th Street.
