Most visitors are unaware that the park is operated by a non-profit foundation that relies on user fees, donations, grants and community goodwill. No City or County monies are used for the Park’s upkeep or improvements.
For decades, generous donations and user fees have met the difficult challenge of funding the Park’s annual operating costs. But user fees alone have not been sufficient to finance major infrastructure, deferred maintenance, habitat restoration, and capital improvement projects.
Now, after almost 50 years of active use, the Park needs a number of essential updates to keep it healthy, safe, and relevant for the future.
In 2019, the Elings Park Foundation Board of Directors voted unanimously to undertake the $10 million EPIC campaign to rebuild, refurbish, modernize, and strengthen the Park’s aging infrastructure.
Twenty percent of each capital gift is allocated to endowment for park maintenance.
On Arbor Day 2022, Santa Barbara mayor Randy Rowse (center) joined Elings Park Foundation leadership to celebrate the 250th native California oak tree planted in the park over the past two years, thanks to funding from the EPIC! campaign. From left to right, volunteer landscape architect Bob Cunningham, Foundation president Patty Bryant, Mayor Rowse, EPIC! co-chairs Lauren Katz (in pink) and Bruce Giffin, Foundation Board member Marcia Constance, and Executive Director Dean Noble.
We’ve made it easy for you to support EPIC! Donate here or contact us to our discuss current needs and naming opportunities. Contact Marinella Baker at mbaker@elingspark.org or (805) 569-5611.
Are you a tennis lover? A generous anonymous donor will match donations to the Los Positas Tennis Center renovations dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million. Double your impact by earmarking your donation to the EPIC! Tennis Center Matching Grant.
Once complete, the new center’s amenities and gorgeous setting may well eclipse many private clubs, yet will be open to the public at nominal fees. Multiple generations have enjoyed this one-of-a-kind center, which evokes the heyday of family tennis in the 1970s and 1980s. It is truly a Santa Barbara treasure.
With recent gifts and pledges, we’ve raised $2.4 million of the $3.2 million required to renovate the Tennis Center – that’s 75%. Those donations have already been put to good use, and the first of three phases of the renovation is now complete.
Phase 1 – $1 million:
Circa 1960s Tennis Center restrooms, pros’ offices, storage areas, and mechanical systems have been renovated.
Phase 2 – $1.5 million:
More than half the budget has been raised to improve the Center’s hardscape, make all tennis courts accessible for people with disabilities and meet ADA guidelines, and rebuild all sidewalks, gathering areas, and stadium seating. Construction begins once the budget is met. Phase II is now under way!
Phase 3 – $700,000:
Parking lot improvements and new landscaping, furniture, lighting, security, fixtures, and equipment will be addressed with future donations.
Also good news: New LED court lighting already has been installed, which improves court lighting to a collegiate level and reduces energy costs by 75%.
Thank you to the generous foundations who have supported EPIC!, including:
Ann Jackson Foundation
Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation
Brittingham Family Foundation
Emmet Foundation
Hutton Parker Foundation
June Outhwaite Foundation
Kirby Jones Family Foundation
MacDonald Family Foundation
Manitou Fund
Mosher Foundation
Santa Barbara Foundation
Trek Bicycle Foundation
EPIC! Capital Campaign Co-Chairs
Bruce Giffin
Lauren Katz
EPIC! Campaign Steering Committee
Joe Andrulaitis
Patty Bryant
Veronica Buck
Marcia Constance
Rick Lehman
Matthew Morphy
Holly Pieretti
Abe Powell
Marshall Rose
Peter Schuyler
Mike Tarpey
Lew Venegas
EPIC! Honorary Advisory Council
Bob Bryant
Joe Cole
Marcia Constance
Tooey Courtemanche
Jeff and Eun-Ju Elings
Janet Garufis
Gregg Hart
Palmer Jackson, Jr.
Abe Powell
Joanne Rapp
Marshall Rose
Peter Schuyler
Greg Tebbe
Anne Towbes
EPIC! Campaign Coordinator
Marinella Baker
EPIC! Campaign Counsel
The Kellogg Organziation
Elings Park Foundation Board of Directors
Patty Bryant, President
Trish Allen
Joe Andrulaitis
J. Gordan Auchincloss
John Britton
Marcia Constance
Hilary Doubleday
Virgil Elings
Bruce Giffin
Lauren Katz
Annette Kowblansky
Jennifer Oakley
Belita Ong
Holly Pieretti
Robert Schmidt
Mike Tarpey
Lew Venegas
Dallas Verhagen
Jill Zachary, City Parks Director
Executive Director
Dean Noble
Infrastructure Committee
Trish Allen
Suzanne Elledge Planning & Permitting Services, Inc.
Joe Andrulaitis
Andruliatis & Mixon Architecture
Bruce Giffin
Giffin & Crane General Contractors, LLC, Ret.
Robert Schmidt
Flowers & Associates Engineerings
Lew Venegas
Granite Construction, Ret.
Directors Emeriti
Carolyn Pesnell Amory
Will Beall
Marty Blum
Sharon Bradford
Barry Cappello
Bill Cirone
Fred Clough
Michael Fauver
Roger Horton
Richard Johns
Eric Kanowsky
Lauri Leighty
Art Merovick
Chapin Nolen
Mike Noling
Nancy Rapp
Keith Schofield
Danny Vickers
Joanie Zacher
In Memorium
George Bliss
Debbie Davison
Patrick DeYoung
Bob Flowers
Jeanne Graffy
Jerry Harwin
Steve Katz
Bernie Krakower
General F. Michal Rogers
Katie O’Reilly Rogers
Mike Warren
