As 2025 enters its final quarter, city officials, State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, and community members gathered to reflect on what Santa Clarita has accomplished and what lies ahead. Many of the highlights are part of the Santa Clarita 2025 Strategic Plan.
One of the biggest announcements this year was the acquisition of Hart Park from Los Angeles County, making it the city’s 40th park. In addition to Hart Park, the city also officially took ownership of The Cube.
Prior to the presentations, Mayor Bill Miranda invited community members to participate in the opening ceremony. Julius Harper, Pastor at Santa Clarita Christian Fellowship, gave the invocation. Marine Sergeant Albert Rodriguez led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by SNAP (Special Needs Athletes & Peers) athlete Ryan Schutte singing the national anthem.
After the ceremony, Mayor Miranda and the rest of the City Council introduced a video series that highlighted the valley’s accomplishments over the year, including grand openings, art shows, and recreation activities.
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### Awards & Accolades
Santa Clarita has received several prestigious recognitions this year:
– Named the 8th safest city in America
– Ranked 6th safest city in California
– Ranked 6th in the nation for best parks
– Named the most business-friendly city by the Los Angeles County Business Federation
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### Budget
The City Council has adopted a budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 totaling $344.6 million. This new budget will support several projects outlined in the city’s 2025 Strategic Plan, including:
– The Rink Sports Pavilion at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex
– Haskell Canyon Bike Park
Additionally, the budget will fund:
– Expansion of the Go Santa Clarita microtransit service
– Enhanced programming at Hart Park
– A new Zamboni for The Cube
– Repairs and maintenance across 36 landscape maintenance district zones
– Environmentally friendly goat grazing services for brush clearance
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### Grand Openings
Throughout the year, the city has held multiple ribbon-cutting ceremonies to celebrate new and renovated community features.
One of the most recent was the re-grand opening of Old Orchard Park, originally built in 1968. The renovated park now offers a variety of new features for visitors to enjoy, including:
– A faux rock climbing wall
– A rope ladder connected to updated playground slides
– A turf-covered play mound designed for interactive play
– A multi-sport court for basketball and futsal
– Full-sized basketball courts with overlays for pickleball games
Another significant opening was Pioneer Oil Refinery Park, which dates back to 1876 when California Oil Works, later known as Chevron, established its first successful refinery. Today, the park is open for visitors to explore Santa Clarita’s western history.
The River of Lights at Central Park also debuted this year. It features hundreds of LED lights illuminating the plaza walkway, centered around a 14-foot sculpture titled “When Cloud Met a Cloud.”
In addition, Louis E. Brathwaite Drive was opened, honoring one of the city’s founding fathers.
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### Upcoming Projects
Several exciting projects are currently underway.
**The Rink Sports Pavilion** at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex will be a 25,700-square-foot facility. It will feature a roller skating rink with overlays for basketball, pickleball, and volleyball. The building will also include:
– A commercial kitchen
– Spectator seating
– Lockers and skate rentals
– A party area for birthdays and private events
For outdoor enthusiasts, the city is developing the **Haskell Canyon Bike Park**. Located on 720 acres of rugged open space, the park will include more than 15 miles of cross-country, climbing, and downhill trails.
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