New sports fields open in Petaluma

Petaluma marks the beginning of a new era in local sports with the opening ceremony for the new community park on East Washington Street on Friday.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at the park, 2430 E. Washington St., near the city’s airport.

The long-planned park on city-owned land has three soccer fields and a lacrosse field.

First proposed in 1990, park construction stalled over the years for funding problems. But an influx of impact fees from developers of the Target and Friedman’s shopping centers and a $2 million grant from the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District spurred construction over two phases.

Last year a construction bid from Ghilotti Bros. came in $900,000 under the engineer’s estimate, adding a third field that had been cut from the first phase to save money.

Three more fields are planned for the 26-acre facility: a regulation baseball diamond and two smaller softball-baseball fields. Funding for that phase hasn’t been determined.

City leaders intend to seek community input to name the park.

You can reach Lori A. Carter at 521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.