What’s going on at Modesto’s Pike Park? Here’s why it’s closed and when it will reopen
At the corner of Kearney and Princeton avenues in Modesto, J.M. Pike Park sits guarded by rows of fabric-screened fencing.
A reader asked Bee Curious, a community-driven series where reporters answer reader questions about the Modesto region: “What’s happening with Pike Park?”
The park, which sits on a little over six acres of land northwest of the Modesto Junior College’s East Campus, has been closed to the public since late February, according to the city’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department.
Here’s why the park is closed and when it is expected to reopen:
Why is Modesto park closed off?
Sonya Severo, a spokeswoman for the city of Modesto, said J.M. Pike Park is being excavated for the installation of an underground stormwater system.
For the safety of the public, she said, the park in northwest Modesto has been fenced off during construction.
According to a sign posted around the fencing, the park is closed to the public due to construction for the J.M. Pike Park Stormwater to Sanitary Sewer Cross Connection Removal and Water Main Project.
In 2014, California approved Proposition 1 to invest $2.7 billion into water storage projects.
As part of that proposition, the city has invested about $30.8 million into the Pike Park project, according to the city’s sign.
Construction at Pike Park is the third and final phase of this project, according to the city’s website.
Phase one at Garrison Park was completed November 2014; and phase two at Roosevelt Park was completed during the summer of 2019.
Why is the Pike Park project necessary?
Across Modesto, stormwater runoff drains directly into the city’s sewer system and is processed by the city’s primary wastewater treatment plant.
“This joining of stormwater and wastewater is caused by cross-connections throughout the city,” the city wrote on the project page.
During storms, an overwhelming amount of water flows into the sanitary sewer system, overflows and causes street flooding.
There are 54 places across the city where this occurs, the city website says.
What will the project accomplish?
“The project will remove stormwater to sanitary sewer cross connections and install a new underground stormwater drainage system in Pike Park, which will alleviate street flooding while providing local groundwater recharge,” Severo said.
The project will remove defective dry wells and connections between stormwater and sewage systems. This includes setting up an underground water storage system at J.M. Pike Park and upgrading water infrastructure in the neighborhood surrounding the park.
Upgrades will include new water mains, valves, services and fire hydrants, Severo said.
Is the city adding more features to Pike Park?
Though the project is aimed to address the city’s sewage and storm runoff issues, Severo said new features will be added to the park upon completion.
According to the city’s website, the park currently has the following features:
Baseball field
Soccer field
Two full-size basketball courts
Picnic areas, including shelters and tables
Playground
Once the project is complete, Severo said park features will include:
New pedestrian walkway around the perimeter of the park
Bench seating area with new lighting
New drought-tolerant planting and decomposed granite areas around the park’s previous landscaped areas, including previously aged, damaged trees and lawn areas
Efficient irrigation systems
New planting areas with trees to provide shade
New rain garden, which aims to provide pollutant filtration, flooding prevention and groundwater recharge, according to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
Updated curb ramp with accessibility standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Updated irrigation system
Renovated baseball and soccer fields
When will Pike Park reopen?
Severo said construction on the park will take approximately one year.
“The park is anticipated to be reopened in early spring 2025,” she said.
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