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Tag: C-bar-C park

  • $250k playground expansion planned for C-Bar-C park

    C-Bar-C Park’s playground is slated for an expansion in 2023. // S. Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Construction and expansion of a new playground is being planned for C-Bar-C Park on Oak Avenue in Citrus Heights.

    Sunrise Recreation and Park District Administrator Dave Mitchell said in an email to The Sentinel that planning for new playground construction and expansion is in the beginning stages. The project is estimated to cost $250,000.

    During an Aug. 11 City Council meeting, the City of Citrus Heights agreed to contribute $150,000, utilizing funds from Park Impact fees which are paid for by developers. The park district will be coordinating the design and installation.

    The current playground at C-Bar-C park is over two decades old. The expansion of the current play structure will include additional seating and new drinking fountains.

    The planned Arcade-Cripple Creek trail is slated to be completed in 2023 and will run through several parks, including C-Bar-C. Mitchell said visits to the park are expected to increase because it will be one of two parks along the new trail that has public restrooms. He anticipates C-Bar-C “will be enjoyed by more Citrus Heights residents than ever.”

    C-Bar-C Park spans 25 acres and includes a garden and nature area, a baseball diamond, softball field and two soccer fields, a dog park, restrooms, a playground, and numerous walkways and trails, both cemented and unpaved. The park also includes six covered picnic areas, one of which can be reserved through Sunrise Recreation, and five uncovered picnic tables.

    As reported previously in The Sentinel, construction of the new 2.9-mile multi-use trail is expected to cost over $10 million. The trail will provide access to eight parks, including C-Bar-C, as well as Sunrise MarketPlace. A small portion of the trail will pass through Sundance Park in Orangevale.

    Currently, there are no renderings for future playground designs. Mitchell said over the next few months the park district plans to solicit different playground designs from different playground manufacturers and then present those designs to the public for feedback.

    The district anticipates the playground will be completed in 2023, following the same timeline as the expected completion of the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail.

  • C-Bar-C Park draws families outdoors for Mother’s Day weekend

    Sherry Petta, right, and Linda Petta, left, sit watching a little league game near a monument to the Carrick family who originally owned the land before donating it to be used as a park. // M. Hazlip

    By Mike Hazlip—
    A spring breeze blows dust in the wind and the ping of a bat connecting with a baseball sending it skyward rings out as the crowd cheers.

    On Saturday, a day before Mother’s Day, the four baseball fields at C-Bar-C Park are occupied with little league games of various ages. The youngest players square off with a Tee Ball in one field while older players take another field at the end of an inning. The smell of barbecued hamburgers rises with the smoke from the concession stand at the center of it all.

    Sherry Petta of College Greens is at the park with her husband Ryan, mother-in-law Linda, and father-in-law Vic. The family isn’t from Citrus Heights, but came to the park to watch their 13-year-old son play against the home team.

    “Even though it’s Mother’s Day, I’m happy to be here watching them play baseball,” Petta said. I’m just happy they’re playing again.”

    In the busyness of the season, few stop to realize the day’s events wouldn’t be have been possible without the generosity of the family who once owned the land, originally known as C-Bar-C Ranch.

    Citrus Heights Historical Society President Larry Fritz said Lester and Pansy Carrick were the original land owners. Lester worked the land growing wheat and hay while Pansy worked as the school nurse for San Juan High School.

    Historical records show the Carrick’s settled in Sacramento in 1875. They owned 320 acres of land between Old Auburn Road and Oak Avenue.

    Carrick attended the Old Sylvan School House before playing semi-pro baseball in a Sacramento league. He eventually joined the Citrus Heights Rotary Club and used the family land for community events. Bonfires and picnics, games and hay rides continued for over four decades on the land.

    Also on The Sentinel: Volunteers restore picnic tables at Citrus Heights park

    Of the generations of children who made memories at C-Bar-C Ranch, one young man later became another well-known name in the Citrus Heights community.

    “One of their hay wagon drivers was a young Richard Kniesel, who founded the chain Kniesel’s Auto Body Shops, the original of which is on Sunrise Boulevard,” Fritz said. “Richard claims that he is the last person to drive a horse-drawn wagon down Sunrise Boulevard, and is very proud of this distinction.”

    Lester Carrick died in 1977, and his wife, Pansy, donated a section of the family land to the Sunrise Parks and Recreation District the following year. Fritz said the original Carrick house was intended to remain at the center of the Oak Crest Village community, but was lost to a fire. Oak Crest Village is now a gated community along Oak Avenue that boarders the West side of C-Bar-C Park.

    Also on The Sentinel: Why these two Citrus Heights neighborhood associations decided to merge

    Like the dust blowing across the little league fields this sunny Saturday morning, the memories of hay rides and bonfires at C-Bar-C Ranch are scattered by the winds of time.

    A monument to the Carrick family stands near the baseball bleachers, silently preserving a part of the family’s history. Petta and her family have set up chairs near the monument to watch the game, a site Lester and Pansy Carrick certainly would have wanted.

    Although Petta says she has only visited the park a few times, she said there’s no place she would rather be than watching her son play baseball on this Mother’s Day weekend.

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  • City opens addt’l free sandbag site for Citrus Heights residents

    Sandbags, citrus heights
    A sign outside C-Bar-C park in Citrus Heights notifies residents of a supply of sand available at the location. //CHSentinel

    Updated Oct. 28, 7:56 a.m.–
    Preparing for winter weather and the potential for a “Godzilla El Nino” rainy season, the City of Citrus Heights opened up a second sandbag station outside City Hall last week, making it easy for residents to grab a shovel and stock up on free sandbag supplies at either of two locations in the city.

    The City limits free bags and sand to Citrus Heights residents only, and proof of residency is required before picking up bags from City Hall’s main desk, according to Regina Cave, who works in the City’s General Services Department. She said the load-your-own bags can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays from City Hall’s temporary location on Auburn Boulevard, with sand available at either C-Bar-C Park or out in front of City Hall.

    Although sand and bags are free, Cave said residents need to bring their own shovels and will be given empty bags from City Hall to fill with sand at either location. She said a 10-bag limit is recommended for cars, and 20 bags for trucks, due to hauling capacity on vehicles.

    The City Hall sandbag station is located at the City’s temporary offices at 7927 Auburn Blvd. and the station at C-Bar-C Park is located at 8275 Oak Ave. Sand is available 24-hours-a-day from City Hall, while C-Bar-C’s availability is limited to daytime park operating hours.

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    Last December, anticipations of a large storm drove Citrus Heights residents to fill up more than 11,000 free sandbags from stations at C-Bar-C Park and McDonald Field, according to the City. Although demand ended up causing sandbag stations to run out of supplies, the storm turned out to be a “fizzle.”

    [From last year: ‘Stormageddon’ a fizzle for Citrus Heights, says City engineer]

    Cave said McDonald Field’s sandbag station is not in operation this year, although the station at C-Bar-C Park is open year-round.

    —
    Citrus Heights Sandbag locations:

    City Hall
    7927 Auburn Blvd., near Rusch Park. (Bags available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sand available 24-hours-a-day)

    C-Bar-C Park (sand only, no bags)
    8275 Oak Ave., East of Fair Oaks Boulevard