FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACTS
Rachel Saunders, Vice President of Conservation, Big Sur Land Trust
rsaunders@bigsurlandtrust.org | 831-236-4796
Alisa Selivanova, Communications Manager, Big Sur Land Trust
aselivanova@bigsurlandtrust.org | 831-886-7815
Grand Opening of Ensen Community Park Brings Long-Awaited Green Space to Salinas Families
Big Sur Land Trust, City of Salinas, and Center for Community Advocacy invite the public to celebrate on Sunday, August 17
Salinas, CA — On Sunday, August 17, from 11:00am to 3:00pm, the public is invited to the grand opening celebration of Ensen Community Park’s neighborhood park at Carr Lake in Salinas. The event, hosted by Big Sur Land Trust, the Center for Community Advocacy and the City of Salinas, will include a formal ceremony and ribbon-cutting at 12:30pm.
The six-acre neighborhood park is the first phase of a visionary plan to transform 73 acres at Carr Lake—a seasonally dry lakebed in the heart of Salinas—into a vibrant public green space. With its playground, sports courts, skate park, picnic tables, dog play areas, and walking paths, the neighborhood park will serve as a recreational haven for thousands of nearby families.
The Mayor of Salinas, Dennis Donohue, stated, “Ensen Community Park is a beautiful example of what happens when community, vision, and partnership come together. On behalf of the City of Salinas, I want to thank Big Sur Land Trust for helping bring this dream to life. This park belongs to the people of Salinas now, and I can’t wait to see families enjoying it this summer and for generations to come.”
A Community Dream, Years in the Making
A public park at Carr Lake is a long-held dream. For decades, residents in Salinas—particularly in East Salinas where parks are scarce—have envisioned Carr Lake as a place for families to gather, play, and connect with nature. Although Carr Lake spans over 480 acres in the center of the city, it remained largely undeveloped and used mainly for agriculture.
In 2017, Big Sur Land Trust took a bold step by purchasing a 73-acre portion of Carr Lake, thanks to generous support from public and private partners including Monterey Peninsula Foundation, California Natural Resources Agency, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. This marked the beginning of a project grounded in equity, access, and community-led design.
Over 7,000 Salinas residents played a role in shaping the new park—signing petitions, participating in design meetings and site tours, creating and caring for a native plant demonstration garden, and voting on the park’s name.
Construction of the neighborhood park, including the elements requested by the community, was made possible thanks to funding from the California Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program (funded through Proposition 68), the City of Salinas, Manitou Fund, Resources Legacy Fund, Barnet Segal Charitable Trust, and Harden Foundation.
“This project is going to be transformative for the city, but has also been transformative for Big Sur Land Trust in learning how to work shoulder to shoulder with the community to deliver a long-held multi-generational dream for Salinas residents,” said Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, President and CEO of Big Sur Land Trust.
Designed with and for the Community
The name “Ensen Community Park” was ultimately chosen because most of the 966 respondents to the final community survey felt it was important to honor the history of the Indigenous peoples and their relationship with this land. “Ensen” is an Indigenous word, which means blackberry. The name was suggested by Louise J. Miranda Ramirez, Tribal Chairwoman of the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN), because blackberries were an important food source for Indigenous peoples in the area.
The park is the result of a deeply collaborative process. Big Sur Land Trust worked closely with local partners, including the Center for Community Advocacy (CCA), CSUMB’s Habitat Stewardship Project, Building Healthy Communities, CHISPA, and the Monterey County Department of Public Health, among others, to reach residents from historically underserved neighborhoods. Thirteen local organizations contributed to the planning and outreach process.
Joel Hernandez Laguna, Executive Director of the Center for Community Advocacy (CCA), recently described the prolonged partnership. “For over eight years, CCA’s leaders, families, and staff have worked alongside Big Sur Land Trust in community engagement efforts that will bring access to open space and outdoor activities within walking distance to farmworker and low-income families.”
From sports courts to picnic areas to trails, the design reflects input from the people who will use it most. Residents provided feedback on amenities, layout, and accessibility—ensuring that the park feels truly rooted in the Salinas community. When complete, the combined Ensen Community Park will include a 67-acre habitat restoration area, which is already under construction.
“The restoration area will reconnect residents with the natural world right in their backyard,” said Rachel Saunders, Vice President of Conservation at Big Sur Land Trust. “It’s a space that’s designed to grow healthier communities from the soil up.”
Future Stewardship and Sustainability
Upon the grand opening, Big Sur Land Trust will transfer ownership of the neighborhood park to the City of Salinas, whose Recreation and Park Services division will maintain it. The restoration area will also be transferred to the City in early summer 2026, with Big Sur Land Trust continuing to manage vegetation and habitat stewardship to ensure long-term ecological success.
Big Sur Land Trust is currently raising funds for a stewardship endowment to support the restoration area’s maintenance for generations to come.
Join the Celebration
The grand opening on Sunday, August 17 will feature community performances, family-friendly activities, and local food—a true celebration of what community collaboration can achieve.
Event Details
- What: Ensen Community Park Grand Opening
- When: Sunday, August 17 from 11:00am – 3:00pm
- Formal Ceremony: 12:30pm
- Where: Ensen Community Park, 600 Sherwood Dr, Salinas, CA 93906
- Parking: Mount Toro High School, 10 Sherwood Place, Salinas, CA 93906
- Hosted by: Big Sur Land Trust, Center for Community Advocacy, and City of Salinas
For more information on the grand opening event, please click here.
For more information on the history and funding of the Ensen Community Park project, please click here and review our FAQ document.