SHAFTER, Calif. (KERO) — Construction on the Shafter Recreation and Parks District sports complex has come to a standstill after project costs skyrocketed since the original 2020 bid, prompting leaders to pause work and seek additional funding.
The project broke ground in May 2025, but by the first quarter of 2026, it became clear the available funds would not cover the rising costs, forcing the district to pause construction.
"Our escalation costs — we know that the park originally, back in 2020 when we bid this out to see what the cost was: it doubled," Gilbert Garcia, a project consultant for the Sports Complex, said.
A presentation at a recent community meeting estimated that completing phase one of the project would total just over $6 million. To close that gap, project leaders said they are pursuing grants, sponsorships, and private donors.
The complex, billed as a first for Kern County, is designed in multiple phases that can be completed as funding becomes available, according to SRPD District Manager Phillip Jimenez. Phase one includes baseball, softball, soccer fields, playgrounds, outdoor courts, and parking. Later phases would add a gymnasium, a track field, and other amenities.
Despite the pause, Jimenez said roughly 60% of phase one is already finished.
"The park light amenities, the sports lights, all the underground utilities, such as the wet utilities are all complete, so around 60% completed with this part," Jimenez said.
Jimenez said completing the project remains the district's top priority.
"This park is really important to us, and we wanna make sure that we get this park done for the people of Shafter and the community of Kern, and that is our main focus," Jimenez said.
Not everyone is confident the momentum will carry through to the later phases. John Hill, a longtime Shafter resident, said he supports the project but worries that future cost increases could stall progress once phase one wraps up.
"The way that today's world is going is just too expensive, you know? If we wait four or five years down the road, you know, they're saying $500,000 builds this baseball field; what does five years hold down the road? Is it a million dollars?" said Hill. "That's my biggest fear is that if we don't make a push to try to get this thing done now - that five years down the road, are we ever gonna have more than what we have?"
The district plans to hold additional public meetings about the sportsplex. Jimenez said dates will be announced on the district's Facebook page.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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