By City Manager Ken Striplin
As City Manager for 12 years now and a longtime resident of Santa Clarita, I am always proud to see how our community continues to grow. In 1987, the City was 39 square miles, today, we are now over 73 square miles and growing. Thanks to the leadership of our City Council, one of our proudest achievements as a City is the preservation of open space surrounding our community, as well as the creation of green spaces, like our parks. On Saturday, April 6, the Santa Clarita City Council was joined by the community for the grand opening of the City’s 38th park – Skyline Ranch Park.
The new park features 10.5 acres of green space, filled with amenities for everyone. When you first enter the park, visitors are greeted with a spacious multipurpose field, perfect for a friendly soccer match or practice with the team. There is also a shaded gazebo with picnic tables, ready for families to enjoy lunch or a place to rest while on your daily walk. As you continue into the park, residents can also check out the large baseball field tucked into the mountainside with covered seating and dugouts.
Skyline Ranch Park also has a brand-new shaded playground that includes inclusive elements so that everyone can play together in a fun and safe environment. Around the perimeter of the park is a walking path, connecting residents to the adjoining neighborhood, as well as the miles of trails in our community. Located in the heart of the community, this park was designed with residents in mind, making it accessible by multiple walking trails and sidewalks.
The park also features a basketball court with eight-feet and ten-feet high basketball rims, which allows adults and kids to play on the same court. Just across the way are the two tennis courts, which are overlaid with pickleball courts, making it a great spot for enthusiasts to come work on their swing or enjoy a game with friends. These courts also boast one of the best views in Santa Clarita, with beautiful 360-degree views of the City and the surrounding green mountains.
By creating spaces like Skyline Ranch Park, we can offer our residents healthy opportunities and active benefits of living in our community. According to WalletHub.com, Santa Clarita is the 30th happiest city in the United States, and I believe that having outdoor recreation options like our parks, is one of the leading reasons as to why residents chose to live, work and play in our City.
After two years of collaboration and construction with TriPointe Homes, I hope our community takes advantage of this picturesque new addition to our parks system. With summer just around the corner, I have no doubt that this will become a popular spot for morning walks, afternoon picnics or nights on the baseball diamond with family and friends. For more information on all our City parks, please visit SantaClarita.gov.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
