With two Paso Robles sports facilities expected to close next year, the city is turning to a shuttered school campus to help ease a long-standing shortage of athletic fields.
The Paso Robles City Council unanimously approved a lease with the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District on Oct. 6 that will allow the city to rehabilitate and manage two athletic fields at the district’s former Georgia Brown Elementary School campus site on 36th Street.
“This is something our town dearly needs,” Councilmember Steve Gregory said during the meeting. “It’s such a major event for us being able to increase our field capacity by 33 percent with a field that’s available to us.”
The addition will increase the city’s inventory of multipurpose rectangular fields from six to eight, providing more dedicated space for youth sports such as soccer and football that currently compete for limited space and sometimes use baseball and softball outfields.
Pioneer Park’s fields are scheduled to close in March 2027, while Sherwood Park’s fields are expected to temporarily close for renovations later that year.
Community Services Director Angelica Fortin estimated that the two fields could accommodate about six reservations per night—three on each field—but the property does not have field lighting.
Before the fields can be used, Fortin said some work needs to be done.
“Right now, the fields have an uneven surface, poor turf quality, and rodent activity,” Fortin said, adding that they won’t open to the public “until they’re safe and playable.”
Field conditions have also been a concern for local sports organizations. Ten groups responded to a city survey this spring and supported using the property but flagged previous safety problems.
“We’re not removing the grass or the sod,” Fortin said. “There will be some aeration, some leveling of the field itself, and some extensive rodent mitigation.”
Work is expected to begin later this year, with four to six months needed for the new grass to become established. The city is targeting a late spring 2027 opening.
The initial rehabilitation is estimated to cost $40,000, followed by about $15,000 annually for maintenance and restroom supplies. First-year expenses will come from the city manager’s contingency fund because the project wasn’t included in the adopted budget.
The three-year agreement, with an option for a two-year extension, requires no cash rent. Instead, the city will renovate and maintain the fields, manage reservations, and retain rental revenue. The school district will continue paying water and utility costs and maintain the irrigation system and restrooms.
Once open, the fields can be reserved through the city’s existing recreation system.
The agreement is intended to be a temporary solution while Paso Robles pursues longer-term options for expanding its athletic facilities.
Councilmember Chris Beal credited renewed coordination between the city and school district with moving the proposal forward.
“It’s a win-win,” Beal said. “A wonderful example of how we can work together and take advantage of each other’s assets and strengths in order to better serve the community.”
This article appears in Oct 8-15, 2026.
