The Heritage Oaks Master Plan (above) shows some of the features that are part of the $7.792 million improvement project, estimated to be completed in July 2026. The City Council has proposed a possible renaming of the park. Graphic by the City of West Sacramento

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – West Sacramento City Council gave its unanimous approval at its July 16 meeting to awarding a construction contract for improvements to the city’s Heritage Oaks Park, a park that could have a different name once the project is completed in July 2026.

The council awarded the contract to Imagecon, Inc., the lowest and most responsive of five bidders on the project at just more than $4.147 million. Bids ranged from Imagecon’s figure to an almost $8.32-million bid by JPB Designs, Inc. 

Originally part of the council’s Consent Agenda, Councilwoman Dawnté Early asked that the item be pulled for additional council discussion. Early said she “really wanted to comment on the project,”which Early said she fully supports and make a “friendly amendment” to the contract to rename the park to honor the area’s history.

Early said that there are Native American historical sources near the park and possibly in it as well, and wanted council to direct staff to look into a name change.

“One that reflects cultural sensitivity and acknowledges the heritage of those who have come before us,” Early said. “I feel this is about respect, inclusivity and ensuring that every family in West Sacramento feels seen, feels valued in these spaces that we create together.”

According to the city’s website, the West Sacramento area was inhabited beginning more than 4,000 years ago by the First People known as the Patwin, establishing villages on the west side of the Sacramento River. Other sources indicate the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joquin rivers has also been the home of the Miwok-speaking peoples, with the Nisenan peoples living in the Yuba and American rivers watersheds.

In the report on the resolution accepting Imagecon’s bid, staff noted the city acquired Heritage Oaks Park in 2016 as part of an adjacent development. It was also acquired to “preserve and provide public access to the existing 162 trees on site — 83 of which are native Heritage Oaks.”

Other council members expressed support for Early’s motion, with Mayor Martha Guerrero noting the city already has a process for naming and renaming public facilities. The council received a presentation on updates to the process at a meeting this past January.

“There is, but I think we have to initiate the process,” Early said, mentioning some of the elements and information the process undertakes.

City Manager Aaron Laurel reminded council they had approved updates to the city’s naming policy and added that staff would like to hear ideas from council on renaming Heritage Park, especially since they were approving the construction contract at the July 16 meeting.

“We’re comfortable if there is consensus interest on council at least to initiate the renaming process,” Laurel said. “There’s a whole procedure that we follow that takes in a lot of what council member Early said.”

Mayor Pro Tem Verna Sulpizio Hull said she was also “OK with the (park’s) current name” but would like to see historical information at the site such as plaques and kiosks. She added that there are probably cultural artifacts onsite now and asked Parks and Recreation Department Senior Project Manager Chris Surawski what precautions the city is taking to preserve those if found.

Surawski said that the city has been working with Environmental Service Associates since early project design on potential issues such as this issue. Consultants from ESA would come to the site to meet with crews “before shovels hit the ground” on preservation precautions and procedures, Surawski said.

“We’ll follow the process that we’ve hired the consultants to do,” Surawski added.

Sulpizio Hull said that funding should be found for preservation and agreed with Early that representatives from local tribes should be involved in the preservation and renaming process.

Early subsequently withdrew her renaming amendment, allowing council members to discuss possibilities as it was the first time they had heard about it and that there is a procedure in place to make a change.

So far, the city has incurred project expenses of almost $7.792 million, a figure that includes the Imagecon bid along with just more than $1.38 million in prepurchase park items such as playground equipment, restroom, trash enclosure, shade shelter and fitness stations. The amount also includes up to $829,550 of construction contingencies approved with the Imagecon contract and $787,235 in design work.

The nearly $6.83 million in funding for the project includes a $3-million Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant received from the California Department of Parks and Recreation in July, 2022 along with $3,828,750 provided by the city’s Park Impact Fund. The resolution passed by council also included allocating another $962,378 of Park Impact funds to the project.

According to the report, staff intend to explore replacing the Park Impact Fund money with Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District revenues, freeing up park impact fees for improvements at Arlington Neighborhood Park. An with Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District allows for a reallocation of future property taxes within a specified area to a separate account to be used to pay for infrastructure improvements that benefit a designated area.

Heritage Oak Park improvements feature a new public plaza, picnic pavilion, nature-themed play area, interactive water feature, BMX skills course with skate elements, fitness stations, walking paths, educational signage, restroom building and expanded parking lot.