A former dirt lot tucked near Freeway 41 and McKinley Avenue has been transformed into a place where the community members can gather, garden and learn to grow their own food.
The McKinley Peace Garden was celebrated Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included local, state and federal officials.
Funded by Caltrans, the $1.6 million project is part of the Clean CA Program, a $1.1 billion effort to enhance communities and clean up roadsides.
Working with the city and several nonprofit organizations, Caltrans devised a plan to repurpose the vacant land that sits between the southbound Freeway 41 on-ramp and McKinley Avenue.
What they came up with was a parklike space with 18 concrete planting beds, an open-air, barn-shaped area for sitting, a bathroom and a storage container. The garden is protected by an iron fence and is beautified by murals from artists Erica Thomas and Vanessa Gomez.
Attendees are silhouetted by a mural after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new McKinley Peace Garden Friday morning, Sept. 4, 2026 in Fresno. The garden, located right next to the 41 southbound on-ramp, offers both raised and ground-level concrete planters. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
“It’s taking advantage of an underutilized space within our community, turning it into something very, very beautiful, and that’s what we have here today, right here in the heart of our city,” Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said.
The mayor added that the project mirrors what the city has done with its Beautify Fresno campaign.
“And that is to beautify spaces in our community, to restore curb appeal and to restore neighborhood pride, and that’s what this garden will do,” Dyer said.
As part of the project, the Fresno Park and Recreation Department will maintain the garden area. Residents in the area can sign up to use the garden plots for a fee of $41 a year, which includes water.
Raised concrete planters are seen at the new McKinley Peace Garden Friday morning, Sept. 4, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Aaron A. Aguirre, Parks and Recreation Department director, said the city is working with Fresno Metro Ministry to contact residents within a one-mile radius of the garden to let them know about the project.
Dyer said the peace garden also plans to hold free workshops and training for first-time gardeners.
“I know there were people that had reservations about what this was going to look like and whether this was the right spot for this garden,” he said. “But I think we can all say today, it was a good choice.”
Also attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony was Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno; Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno; Michael Navarro, Caltrans District 6 director; Luis Martinez, representing Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced; and Councilmember Nelson Esparza.
Esparza thanked everyone involved in developing the property that he said had become somewhat of an eyesore.
He also thanked his mother, Brenda Hernandez, for helping him come up with a name for the garden, a task he had struggled with.
“What I love about community gardens is that they give people a reason to come outside, and more importantly, to give neighbors a chance to connect,” Esparza said.
Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula speaks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new McKinley Peace Garden Friday morning, Sept. 4, 2026 in Fresno. The garden, located right next to the 41 southbound on-ramp, offers both raised and ground level concrete planters. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com 
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the new McKinley Peace Garden on Friday morning, Sept. 4, 2026 in Fresno. Standing left to right, Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Caltrans District 6 Director Michael Navarro,, Fresno Councilmember Nelson Esparza and Rep. Jim Costa. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
The Fresno Bee
A Valley native, Robert has worked at The Fresno Bee since 1994, covering various topics including education, business, courts and agriculture.