Community members, officials, and families gather to mark the transformation of park into a vibrant, family-friendly destination
PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles residents celebrated the reopening of Royal Oak Meadows Park on Wednesday, July 30. Improvements to the neighborhood park, located at 1750 Airport Road, included the construction of a full basketball court and a parking lot, a new playground to replace the tot lot, a shaded picnic area, and enhancements to the park’s walking path and turf areas.
Neighborhood resident, Owen Thomas, joined the celebration with his two young children, who arrived with dad in a wagon. Owen, a landscape architect, shared that the renovated park has made a big difference in their neighborhood.
“Before, there really wasn’t anything that was age-appropriate for kids, and this area just wasn’t well discovered. There was no real community hub, and now with this park and the new equipment, it’s just a new place for kids to enjoy and play. Considering what was here before, this is a big improvement,” said Thomas, who lives about five minutes from the park. “Before the renovation, there really wasn’t a reason for us to be here on this side of the park. Now, this place has an age-appropriate play area for my 2-year-old. To have something that’s age-appropriate for everybody is great.”
With the basketball courts across the park from the play area, Thomas adds that he sees the park as “a place the boys will grow up enjoying. I hope they’ll remember their neighborhood park for years to come.”
Community members, alongside elected officials and city staff, attended the reopening of the park. The event kicked off with a welcome from Community Services Director Angelica Fortin, followed by remarks from City Manager Chris Huot and Mayor John Hamon, who spoke about the vital role neighborhood parks play in bringing people together, offering places to play, gather, and build lasting community connections.
Fortin told Paso Robles Press, “Neighborhood parks like Royal Oak Meadows are the heart of local community life. They provide welcoming spaces where the community can come together to celebrate, play, exercise, and connect. Whether it’s a family birthday party under shaded picnic areas, kids making new friends on the playground, or neighbors meeting during a daily walk, these parks foster meaningful interactions that strengthen community bonds. Memories are made in our neighborhood parks every day.”
San Luis Obispo County Supervisor John Peschong joined in the celebration, presenting Hamon with a certificate recognizing the project’s significance. Danny Ray Edwards, representing the Viñedo development team, joined Hamon, Huot, Councilmembers Kris Beal and Chris Bausch, city staff members, and several enthusiastic children to officially cut the ribbon and mark the park’s next chapter. Following the ribbon cutting, children raced to the play structures — spinning, sliding, and smiling their way through a morning of pure playground magic.
Mike Naggar and Associates Inc., representing the Viñedo Development Team, said, “We started this project in earnest as a concept in 2018. It’s taken quite a lot to get to this point. Without the efforts of many people, we could not have completed this park renovation. When we started this project, we made many commitments to the citizens of Paso Robles. This was one of them. May God bless this park and everyone who plays here.”
The multiphase improvements to Royal Oak Meadows Park began in July 2024 and include the construction of a full basketball court and a parking lot, a new playground that replaced the existing tot lot, a shaded picnic area, and enhancements to the park’s walking path and turf areas. Located east of Airport Road and south of Parkview Lane, this 2.4-acre neighborhood park now offers enhanced active and passive recreation opportunities for nearby residents to enjoy for years to come.
“The new connection through the eight-mile bike and walking path significantly enhances accessibility for residents by seamlessly linking Royal Oak Meadows Park to the existing Turtle Creek Park and a new segment of park coming online later this year — Creekside Park. This continuous path not only encourages active transportation and healthier lifestyles, but also ensures safer, more convenient access for cyclists, pedestrians, families, and individuals of all ages,” said Fortin of the impact the new walking path will have on residents.
Fortin adds that these enhancements will directly support the city’s goals of creating a “vibrant, inclusive, and well-utilized outdoor spaces.”
For more information on Paso Robles City Parks, visit prcity.com/806/Neighborhood-Parks
Feature Image: (Back row, from left) County Supervisor John Peschong, City Planner Darren Nash, Community Services Director Angelica Fortin, Councilmember Chris Bausch, Danny Ray Edwards of the Viñedo development team (cutting the ribbon), Paso Robles Mayor John Hamon, Community Development Director Warren Frace, City Manager Chris Huot, and Councilmembers Kris Beal and Fred Strong were joined by several enthusiastic children at the Royal Oak Meadows Park ribbon-cuting. Photo by Heather Stephenson
