After a slow start and a few bumps in the road, an east Bakersfield "pocket park" is getting closer to completion.
David Nelson Park, situated at 1511 Niles St. in east Bakersfield, will hopefully be open to the public this September, according to those in charge of the project. Though it's still technically a dirt lot, construction crews have been observed working on the project, which was dedicated to fallen BPD officer David Nelson over a year and a half ago.
Andrae Gonzales, executive director of the non-profit Children First Campaign, says construction of the park has been slow because the entire operation is privately funded. The city and county are uninvolved; rather, Children First has been raising money through fundraisers to get the park built.
They've successfully raised over $200,000, which will pay for Phase One (expected to be completed in September). After that's complete, the park will be fully operational and open to the public. Phase Two will implement shade structures, but the group is seeking an additional $50,000 to fund that project. They'll be holding a fundraiser at the end of the month to raise money.
