CERES, CA — Caltrans and the City of Ceres announced today that Smyrna Park has reopened with increased opportunities to enjoy recreation, community events, and family gatherings in a cleaner, healthier and more beautiful public space.
The project was made possible by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative – a sweeping, $1.2 billion, multiyear clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and join with communities throughout the state to reclaim, transform, and beautify public spaces. The City of Ceres was awarded a $2.8 million Clean California local grant and contributed a local match of $410,380.
Built more than 50 years ago and centrally located in the community, Smyrna Park is the largest and most popular park in Ceres, serving residents who live primarily in underserved neighborhoods. The demand for recreation, community events and family gatherings at the park had exceeded the capacity of outdated facilities when the city applied for the grant in 2022. Litter, graffiti and vandalism throughout the park created recreational barriers and a blighted environment.
There are now pathways to and within the park, with additional trees, shade canopies and tables to promote healthy living and social interaction. Artwork by local students displayed at the skate park and plaza instills community pride and encourages continued youth involvement in park activities. The north parking lot has been relocated, doubling the number of stalls and decreasing traffic on the surrounding streets. The renovation also includes additional lighting, surveillance systems, trash cans and sealant on the artwork, planters and benches that make graffiti easy to remove, helping increase park safety and cleanliness.
“Thanks to efforts made possible by Clean California, projects like the Smyrna Park renovation have boosted community pride and transformed neighborhoods into safer, cleaner, and healthier places to live,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.
Caltrans awarded nearly $415 million in Clean California Grants to cities and local agencies in 2022 and 2023. Nine grants totaling more than $16.5 million went to District 10, which serves eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley and mountain communities to the east.
Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and its local partners have picked up more than 2.3 million cubic yards of litter – enough to fill about 700 Olympic-size swimming pools. This represents a substantial increase compared to the department’s previous trash collection efforts and can largely be attributed to Clean California, along with other Caltrans litter removal efforts. Caltrans has hosted more than 500 free dump days in communities throughout the state – resulting in the collection of 12,000-plus mattresses and nearly 50,000 tires. The initiative has drawn more than 10,000 community clean-up volunteers and created 15,000 jobs, including positions for individuals who were formerly incarcerated, on probation, or experiencing housing insecurity.
Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about how Clean California is transforming communities and how you can get involved.
