DINUBA – Dinuba’s Entertainment Plaza is set to get a makeover this summer, complete with a new amphitheater, playground and multi-purpose zone.
The Dinuba City Council signed off on preliminary design plans for the renovated downtown park at its Feb. 11 meeting. Feedback on the designs was largely positive, with council members excited for the additional amenities the renovation will bring to the community.
“We can encourage people for their events to use this area and that will hopefully bring pedestrians down into our area and businesses,” Councilmember Linda Launer said.
Renovations to Entertainment Plaza, which is located off the corner of Ventura Street and L Street near Platinum Theatres, are being fully funded by a $2.9 million California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Clean California grant. City Engineer Jason Watts said the Clean California Local Grant Program is a statewide initiative aimed at beautifying and revitalizing local streets and roadways as well as other public spaces.
City Manager Luis Patlan said once city staff incorporate the council’s feedback into the final design and begin the construction drawings, the project will be put out to bid in time for construction to finish up over the summer. The splash pad and historic clock tower will remain at the park, but the rest of the space will see a transformation allowing for many community uses and something fun for all ages.
Entertainment Plaza will be split up into distinct sections: a kids play area just outside the movie theater, a “citizen’s row” that separates the park in two, running from the northwest side of the park near Dinuba Market all the way to Ventura Street, an amphitheater looking out onto a passive grass area, a leisure zone and a multi-purpose zone city staff referred to as “vendor square.”
Landscaping at the park will include palm trees and other new greenery to address the grant program’s intent to combat the “heat island effect” of higher temperatures in dense urban areas. Design elements like entryway pillars and the amphitheater columns will have the same rock style as the Ridge Creek Golf Course and the city’s roundabouts in order to tie together the city’s visual impact.
Vendor square will be set up on the north side of the park, and will allow for events like farmer’s markets and possibly a Christmas village during the holidays. The “leisure zone” will encompass the area where the splash pad currently is, and may be able to feature the city’s Christmas tree during the splash pad off season.
Council members and city staff discussed the pros and cons of having a real city Christmas tree planted somewhere in the park or purchasing an artificial Christmas tree. Most council members said they prefer real trees, but with the right realistic-looking artificial tree, they may be able to get behind that.
“The thought that staff has with regards to an artificial tree is … now that we have this grant, it’s a good opportunity to invest in a really high quality artificial tree that comes fully lit,” Patlan said.
Further, Patlan and Councilmember Benjamin Prado said if they put an artificial tree at the splash pad location, it will allow the community to fully gather around it, as opposed to placing it off to the side with other greenery.
With the amphitheater, the city is hoping to host concerts and other events for the community. The design for the amphitheater will allow it to be an open stage with a roof, or a more enclosed stage with shades on the back wall that can be removed if needed.
Other features in the park will include musical equipment in the kids zone, movable seating throughout the area and multiple shade structures.
