On October 16, a little more than 30 neighbors and community representatives gathered under the oaks at Jan Park on Jan Drive. They watched Carmichael Recreation and Park District Advisory Board Chair Lisa Mattos cut a red ribbon. According to the Carmichael Times, the celebration marked enhanced pathways, a drinking fountain, children's swings and a shade structure with a misting station. Those improvements cost almost $248,000, all of it from Measure G.
Mattos described the work modestly in the same Carmichael Times report:
"While these improvements might seem simple, they help families, visitors with mobility needs and dog owners enjoy this space more comfortably."
The Carmichael Recreation and Park District's Measure G project list has some playgrounds and a set of pickleball courts. Most of what's on it, though, is the work that gets you into a park and around it once you're there: concrete loops, accessible entries, ramps, fountains, pedestrian lighting, restrooms and parking. This winter, those changes are what you'll notice most when you walk the parks closest to home.
Jan Park Was Built by Neighbors Before There Was Bond Money
How Jan Park came to be explains why a few swings and a misting station drew a crowd. The district bought the park's 13-plus acres in 1972. It was what remained of a heavily subdivided farm off Winding Way, and it sat unused until 2010. With no development money, the district teamed up with more than 700 neighboring families. The neighbors raised funds, the district matched them with public money, and paths, a playground and a grass picnic area opened in 2011.
Measure G changed that arrangement. In November 2022, voters in the district passed the general obligation bond with more than 67 percent of the vote. The Carmichael Times reports the bond raised almost $32 million, and more than half of the district's 13 properties have benefited so far. The district says the money goes only to deferred maintenance and new projects, with none of it paying for staff positions. The bonds are sold in series. Jan Park's share works out to well under one percent of that total. The most a park built on bake-sale money could hope for was a quieter upgrade that makes it easier to use.
Where the Money Has Landed So Far
Here's where the finished and nearly finished Measure G work stands, park by park, according to the district's project pages and October news coverage. Almost every row includes a path, an entry or a fountain.
| Park | Address | What's new | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan Park | 4310 Jan Drive | Enhanced pathways, drinking fountain, children's swings, shade structure with misting station | Dedicated Oct. 16, 2026 |
| O'Donnell Heritage Park | 6618 Rappahannock Way | Accessible concrete walkway around the park, restored butterfly garden and entrance, resurfaced basketball court | Completed Aug. 14, 2026 |
| Glancy Oaks Park | 5292 Glancy Drive | New playground and surface, accessible paved entry at the southwest corner, ramps, drinking fountains | Completed January 2026 |
| La Sierra Community Center | 5325 Engle Road | Natural-turf soccer field, concrete walking path around the soccer and baseball fields, new canopy roofing and HVAC | Roofing and HVAC done January 2026; field complete |
| Carmichael Park | 5750 Grant Avenue | Tot playground, new restroom, six pickleball courts, shade structure, accessible pathway | Completed April 2026 |
| Cardinal Oaks Park | 5341 El Camino Avenue | New playground and surface, accessible routes, drinking fountains, pedestrian lighting, south parking lot | Ribbon cutting planned for November |
The two loop walks are the easiest to try on a cool afternoon. O'Donnell Heritage Park now has an accessible concrete walkway around its edge, and Lister Construction finished the work on August 14. At La Sierra, a new concrete path wraps the soccer and baseball fields. The natural-turf field itself covers 331,993 square feet and includes new drainage and irrigation. The district's multi-use field page lists public hours from dawn to dusk, subject to programs, permitted activities, maintenance and field conditions.
At Glancy Oaks, a playground replacement got most of the attention. Saenz Landscape Construction also built an accessible paved entry at the park's southwest corner, plus new ramps and drinking fountains.
Carmichael Park Took the Splashier Projects First
Carmichael Park is the one place where the bond paid for something you'd plan a trip around. Its Phase I project turned two tennis courts into six pickleball courts, which opened for play on April 8, 2026. The four front tennis courts stayed tennis courts. Contractor JPB Designs Inc. also replaced the tot playground beside the Veterans' Memorial Building and put in a new restroom near the tennis courts.
Even at the flagship park, though, accessibility work sits alongside the new amenities. The same project added a shade structure, an accessible pathway out to the pickleball courts, concrete around the playground and the first round of asphalt replacement. The rest of Carmichael Park's needs are mostly paving, and that work is next in line.
Cardinal Oaks, Then the Roads
Cardinal Oaks Park, near Garfield Avenue, is the next ribbon cutting. In its October 20 report, the Carmichael Times said the district planned to dedicate the improvements in November. The Cardinal Oaks project includes a new playground and surface, accessible routes of travel, ramps, drinking fountains, pedestrian lighting and a new parking lot at the south end of the park. The lighting and the lot make a bigger difference in December than in any other month, because that's when the sun sets earliest.
After that comes the least glamorous phase of all. CRPD's Fall/Winter 2026-2027 activity guide says the parking lots and roadways at Carmichael Park and La Sierra Community Center will be upgraded, with ADA improvements rolled out in phases starting in summer 2027. The Carmichael Times describes the 2027 plans as resurfacing rocky roads on both properties. For the district's two busiest properties, the next big Measure G project is pavement.
The third series continues the pattern. The district lists these Series III sites:
- Bird Track Park: a new playground and rubberized surface, plus accessible and safety improvements
- Del Campo Park: soccer field turf repair, accessible paving for two parking lots, a new restroom for the soccer field and a creek bridge
- Patriots Park: a new playground, accessible walkways and pedestrian security lighting
- Sutter-Jensen Community Park: decomposed granite on the community garden paths and an accessible parking lot
- Carmichael Park: ADA improvements at the Veterans Memorial Hall
- La Sierra Community Center: HVAC upgrades and accessible and safety improvements
District Administrator Stacey Yankee thanked residents for their Measure G votes in the Carmichael Times: "Your support reflects a shared commitment to maintain these spaces." The word "maintain" fits the project list well.
December at the Rebuilt Carmichael Park
Carmichael Park's first holiday season with its new tot lot, restroom and paths centers on the district's Holiday Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 3. It runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 5750 Grant Avenue, and the tree lights at 6:15 p.m. Santa will be there for visits and photos. The district asks for one canned good per child for the San Juan Unified School District Food Closet. Food trucks on the list are Bella Familia Wood Fired Pizza, Staq & Cream, Zazu Coffee & Crepes and The Mini Donut Shack.
The Carmichael Chamber of Commerce is running its own holiday events on an overlapping schedule:
- Gingerbread house contest: entries opened November 1, and houses are due at drop-off on December 2
- Community showcase and judging: December 3, the same day as the tree lighting
- Holiday tour of local businesses: December 6 through 20
Details are on the Chamber's contest page. The Carmichael Park Farmers Market is held on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the same Grant Avenue address. Over at La Sierra Community Center, the district's Fall/Winter activity guide lists a Botanical Trinket Dish class on Friday, November 20, and a wire-wrapped pendant class on December 10, both from 6 to 8 p.m.
Neighborhood parks are one of the first things buyers ask me about. A new loop path or a well-lit parking lot within walking distance is a real part of why a home appeals to someone. If you live near Jan Park, O'Donnell, Glancy Oaks or Cardinal Oaks and want to know what that nearby park means for your home's value, Angela Heinzer would be glad to put together a free home valuation for you.
