This article had several errors which have been corrected. See individual corrections at end and Thank You to everyone who sent in corrections.
The Fullerton City Council has allocated approximately $3 million for the revitalization of Independence Park, a decision championed by District 5 representative Councilmember Dr. Ahmad Zahra. Zahra secured funding for Independence Park from Congressmembers Lou Correa and Tom Umberg, as well as OC Board of Supervisors Doug Chaffee. Unfortunately, with the new administration, the federal funding was reduced.
This funding came on the heels of the successful reopening of Union Pacific Park, which had been closed for 22 years, and the launch of the Union Pacific Trail. The trail had a very public six-year dispute between the community and the city council majority, including members Whitaker, Jung, and Dunlap. The Union Pacific Trail received a $1.78 million grant from the Urban Greening Program, thanks to the advocacy efforts of Eglith Nuncci and Zahra. This funding was originally approved unanimously by the city council in 2021, along with an additional $330,712 from Park Dwelling Funds.
When privatizing Independence Park came up at a recent Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Zahra began the real work of fighting for the public space. Zahra has been a strong advocate for public parks, opposing the privatization of these community spaces, which he believes prioritizes profit over local needs. See the video here: https://fullerton.granicus.com/player/clip/2202?view_id=2&redirect=true
Zahra argues that allowing out-of-state organizations to manage parks reduces public access and undermines the community’s interests. “Fullerton has been treating its south side as an afterthought, where families must wait years for park improvements in an already park-deficient area,” he stated, highlighting the inequities in resource allocation.
Improvements at Independence Park will include the construction of the City’s first adaptive playground, upgraded restroom facilities, and renovations to the gymnasium.
Zahra’s advocacy extends to developing a comprehensive Parks Master Plan to guide future investments in recreation across Fullerton. On October 7, 2025, City Council directed staff to issue an RFP for consultant services to develop a Parks Master Plan by a unanimous 5–0 vote (Jung, Charles, Dunlap, Valencia, and Zahra).
Zahra has repeatedly called for a clear policy on park-dwelling fees to ensure a fair distribution of resources. Read his article here: https://fullertonobserver.com/2025/11/18/why-fullerton-needs-a-park-dwelling-fee-policy/
As Fullerton moves forward with its revitalization efforts, Zahra remains steadfast in his belief that community interests must come first, countering any trend toward privatizing public parks.
The issue is expected to come before the City Council at its mid February or early March meetings.
For more details on the project, residents can visit the City of Fullerton’s official website. (https://www.cityoffullerton.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/parks-trails-and-fields/independence-park).
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CORRECTIONS
Thank you to all those who contacted the paper with corrections on this article and apologies to Deputy CM Daisy Perez for the inaccurate information in the original article – which has been corrected.
RE: City of Fullerton Allocates $3 Million for Independence Park Revitalization” (January 28, 2026).
Deputy City Manager Daisy Perez was not present at the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting referenced in the article and has never suggested privitizing Independence Park as was stated in the original article (since corrected).
At that meeting, staff requested feedback from the Parks and Recreation Commission regarding potential project phasing options. No recommendations were made by staff to the Commission.
Other clarifications on City Council actions related to Independence Park:
• 2023 – $2.7 million federal earmark through US Congressmembers Correa and Umberg was recommended for approval but dropped to $250,000 in 2024 under the new administration and is still not a sure thing.
•The City Council allocated $2 million to the project from Park Dwelling Developer Fees from the HUB, completed in 2025. On June 4, 2024, City Council approved the FY 2024–25 Budget, which included a $2,000,000 allocation for Independence Park, by a 4–1 vote (Dunlap, Jung, Charles, and Zahra voting yes; Whitaker voting no).
•The state granted $1 million specifically for the Independence Gym. On February 18, 2025, City Council adopted a resolution accepting a $1,000,000 state grant secured by State Senator Umberg for Independence Park by a 4–0–1 vote (Jung, Charles, Dunlap, and Valencia voting yes; Zahra absent).
• The county granted $100,000 for any improvements needed. That money was used for restrooms.
•On October 7, 2025, City Council directed staff to issue an RFP for consultant services to develop a Parks Master Plan by a unanimous 5–0 vote (Jung, Charles, Dunlap, Valencia, and Zahra).
Additional, up-to-date information regarding the Independence Park project is available on the City’s website at:
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