WILLIAMS, CA (MPG) – The Williams City Council on Feb. 18 authorized city staff to move forward on a climate resilience grant that could bring long needed shade structures to parks throughout the community. The action marks a coordinated effort by City Planner Kathryn Ramsaur and Recreation Director Ben Padilla to address rising temperatures and the growing demand for covered outdoor space.
The city is pursuing funding through the state’s Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, administered by the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, Ramsaur said. The program’s advanced “transformative project” category offers grants ranging from $2.5 million to $4 million for communities ready to implement infrastructure that reduces the impacts of extreme heat. Shade structures qualify as eligible improvements because they provide long term, passive cooling in public spaces.
Ramsaur explained that the proposal focuses on installing permanent shade structures at multiple parks. Currently, Northview Park is the only city park with a built-in shade structure, making it one of the most heavily used locations during the summer. Youth sports teams often shift practices there during heat waves, and families frequently compete for shaded space during peak afternoon hours. City officials said the lack of shade has become a recurring concern as heat events grow more frequent and intense.
As part of the grant requirements, the city must partner with a community-based organization. Ramsaur told the council that she reached out to Tri Counties Community Action Partnership, a nonprofit with experience in public engagement, who have agreed to the work with the city.
“They’re really good with outreach so they’re going to help us with some of the survey material,” Ramsaur said.
The partnership will help the city gather community input, which is a key scoring component for the state program. Ramsaur said the outreach effort will focus on identifying which parks residents use most, where shade is needed, and how heat affects outdoor activities in Williams. That information will be incorporated into the final grant application.
Ramsaur noted that any costs associated with preparing the application would be minimal. If the city receives the grant, those expenses would be reimbursed. If not, she said the planning department can absorb the cost within its existing budget.
Council members expressed support for the collaboration, calling the project a proactive step toward protecting residents from extreme heat while improving the usability of Williams public spaces. The application is expected to move forward in the coming weeks.