Elings Park Hits $200,000 Goal, Unlocking $1 million for Castagnola Softball Complex renovations

Elings Park has raised the final $200,000 needed to unlock a $1 million pledge for major renovations to the three playing fields at its Castagnola Softball Complex, the nonprofit announced Thursday.

The $1.2 million project will deliver a complete transformation of the infields and outfields, with work scheduled to begin May 18 and continue through the summer, targeting completion in October.

“Over the last eight weeks, our entire community rallied big time for Elings Park,” said Bruce Giffin, Park Board Vice President, and head of the Elings Park Infrastructure Campaign (EPIC!) “We received donations of all sizes and from all populations in support of this game-changing opportunity to elevate and maintain our fields at a level which will provide players with a best-in-class experience for years to come.

“It was truly a team effort and a heartfelt reminder that Santa Barbara is a remarkable community committed to the health and vibrancy of this phenomenal place we all call home. Everyone at the Park is deeply grateful to everyone who helped us reach this goal, including the softball community for their outreach, donors for their financial contributions, and our local media for getting the word out. Thank you all for helping us Swing for the Million! You knocked it out of the Park!”

Renovations will proceed field-by-field to maintain player access during construction. Planned upgrades include laser leveling of the grass fields, soil amending, new and more efficient irrigation, and the addition of warning tracks around the outfields. No herbicides will be used in removing existing turf.

Elings Park said updates will be provided throughout the project, including the forthcoming announcement of the campaign’s $1 million donor and other major contributors. The community is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony on May 28.

Open 365 days a year and free to the public, Elings Park is the largest nonprofit public park in the U.S. supported solely by community donations. Built on the former Santa Barbara City landfill and opened in 1985, the 230-acre hilltop park offers panoramic mountain and ocean views and a wide range of activities, including softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, hiking, biking, BMX, disc golf, hang gliding, paragliding, picnicking, and playgrounds.

The park features the Veteran’s Memorial Walk and Terrace of Remembrance honoring those who served in the Vietnam War. With a paid membership in the Elings Park Dog Owner Group (EPDOG), dogs and their guardians may enjoy the entire park off leash. Elings Park is also a venue for weddings, celebrations, memorials, concerts, theater, festivals, and corporate events.

For more information, visit www.elingspark.org or call 805-569-5611.