Santa Barbara’s Dwight Murphy Park — a century-old 10-acre park nestled between the shoreline and the city zoo — has been a longtime home of youth sports and Sunday soccer leagues, though for years it has been in dire need of a makeover. Its uneven grass, unwelcoming public restrooms, and misplaced exercise equipment got plenty of use from locals, but as a whole, city leaders were aware there was much room for improvement at the site.
But soon Dwight Murphy Park will have a new look, with an updated multi-sports field to accommodate youth and adult programming, upgraded restrooms and picnic facilities, an expanded fitness areas, and an innovative first-of-its kind “all-abilities playground” created in partnership with the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. The large-scale renovation, which has been in the works since 2018 and comes with a price tag of more than $32 million, is set to begin on June 2, closing access to the entire park for at least two years, through spring 2027.
Funding for the project was provided through a joint effort of public and private funds. The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation raised more than $6 million to pay for the construction of the inclusive Gwendolyn’s Playground ; Congressmember Salud Carbajal secured $1.5 million in federal Community Project Funding (CPF); the City of Santa Barbara pitched in $19.5 million through a joint financing initiative that pays for both Dwight Murphy Park and the new downtown Police Station ; and billionaire Beanie Babies magnate Ty Warner made a final pledge to contribute $5 million.