Manteca in 2017 — according to public input at the time — needed an aquatics center, a multi-use community center, at least nine more sports fields for soccer and other sports, plus an additional skate park.

There was a conceptual $81 million plan that was the result of the city devising its first ever parks masterplan at a price of $260,000.

The consultant even devised a rough sketch of how such facilities could be placed on city-owned land north of the Big League Dreams sports complex.

The council at the time accepted the report and flatly said they lacked money to do anything.

Nor did they take steps to start acquiring a second community park site as recommended in the master plan they accepted.

Seven years later, it is a different story.

Manteca now has $14.9 million in growth fees collected for community parks and recreation facilities

The adopted budget projects the city will have $16.3 million in the account at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30, 2025.

And by June 30, 2026 the amount should reach $18.8 million.

As for a community park site, the city has already agreed to acquire at least 50 acres for such a purpose on the southeast corner of Union Road and Lovelace Road just to the north of the city as part of its settlement with the Delicato winery.

It is against that backdrop the city is now spending upwards of $250,000 to update the parks master plan in what has been billed as a precursor to developing a strategy — and spending plan — to start adding recreation facilities to existing parks and possible start developing a second community park.

Manteca is again seeking community input to update its plan for parks and recreational facilities.

Three workshops are being planned at the Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 12, Oct. 3, and Oct. 22.

The RJM Design Group that developed the city’s master plan in 2017 indicated what facilities were needed to meet existing demand back then were:

*Three additional soccer fields to enable decreasing the usage at park sites that are currently over-programmed, and seek funding and installation of synthetic turf at selected new facilities.

*Two indoor youth basketball courts.

*One additional swimming pool.

Among the recommended facilities for future demand based on projected growth through 2035 were:

*Additional youth baseball fields.

*Additional youth softball fields.

*Additional multi-sports long fields for soccer, football, rugby, and lacrosse with emphasis on synthetic turf opportunities at future facilities.

*Additional multi-use jogging/walking/bicycling trails, and for equestrian use when practical and connecting with other equestrian trails.

*Two additional indoor basketball courts.

*One additional swimming pool.

*Four additional tennis courts.

The future needs are based on projections Manteca would have 97,410 residents in 2025, 107,766 in 2030, and 117,010 in 2035.  

The master plan as of 2017 noted Manteca has 483.13 acres dedicated to park and recreation uses:

 *212.973 acres of neighborhood parks

*90.94 acres for special uses such as Big League Dreams as well as the BMX track and skate park among others.

*78.46 acres  of community parks.

*101 acres at the golf course.

While the city often refers to the Tidewater Bikeway as a linear park the consultant opted to list those four acres as not being part of the overall park site total.

The consultants  concluded Manteca in 2017 needed an additional 21.26 acres of parks to serve its current residents based on City Council adopted standards of service.

By 2035 that deficit will increase to 241.91 acres if no additional parks were put in place. Of that, all but 88 acres are neighborhood parks that the developer puts in place. The rest is 44 acres for another community park and 44 acres for a special use park such as a community center-aquatics center.

The consultant concluded in 2017 if no additional facilities are added by 2035, Manteca will be short 3.9 softball fields, 11.2 baseball fields, 4.1 football fields, 15.8 soccer fields, 1.3 swimming pools, 4.2 tennis courts, 1.3 indoor basketball facilities, 0.4 community centers, and 0.4 libraries.

The report made no reference to the adequacy of existing facilities. Instead it simply inventoried them. That’s why a number of people  at workshops leading up to the master plan’s adoption argued the senior center and library, for example, are inadequate for even current needs.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com