Jerry Dyer had a very diplomatic answer when asked who how much credit Luis Chavez and Jose Leon Barraza deserve for the construction of a new southeast Fresno sports park.

“I would never want to give any person credit for this project because I think it is a collective. And, you know, I do believe in One Fresno and I believe that everyone has had a hand in this project,” the Fresno mayor said Wednesday morning.

The political answer may put to rest for the moment as an issue in the special election to fill a vacant city council seat. Earlier this week, Chavez — the former city councilmember for the southeast Fresno area — accused Leon Barraza — a candidate to succeed Chavez — of grabbing credit for the new park.

Dyer, Chavez and Leon Barraza were among those at the park’s groundbreaking ceremony.

“It’s easy to promise things. It’s hard to deliver. And as we stand here today, we are delivering on that promise,” Dyer said about the park, which has been 20 years in the making.

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The Politics Behind the Park Groundbreaking

Chavez and Leon Barraza had speaking roles at the groundbreaking. Dyer praised both, calling each a “champion” for the project.

“Certainly, you’ve got to have passionate people like Jose here. You got to have a councilmember like Luis Chavez, who was really, he and I worked on coming up with the (federal) ARPA money,” Dyer said.

Chavez praised Dyer and former city councilmembers for believing in parks.

“It starts with putting your money where your mouth is. It starts with investing the millions of dollars that we’re going to have here in this community,” Chavez said.

Leon Barraza talked about gathering support for the park, including organizing a rally.

“This project is a success story because it started as an impossible dream,” Leon Barraza said.

Leon Barraza even praised Chavez during his speech. He wanted to be professional, he told GV Wire. The two shook hands when they arrived.

Chavez resigned last month after winning election to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. The winner of the March 18 special election will serve the remaining 21-plus months of the council term.

Leon Barraza, a city parks commission member and CEO of the nonprofit Southeast Fresno Community Development Association, helped spearhead support for the park. Chavez helped secure funds.

Also at the groundbreaking was Fresno Unified Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, another candidate in the council race. She is married to Chavez. Initially standing in the crowd, Dyer invited her up near the podium. She also grabbed a shovel for the ceremonial dirt tossing.

Related Story: Chavez Defends His Record After Political Attacks by Council Candidates

About the Park

The 49-acre park at 2215 S. Peach Ave. —north of Church Avenue — was once the site of a federal government agricultural research facility that studied table grapes, and researched peach breeding. The feds gifted the land in 2006, as long as it was used for the public good.

Almost 20 years later, that goal is nearing fruition.

The first phase, which Dyer said will be finished by the end of the year, will feature four soccer fields, open green space, and outdoor fitness areas. A building will house restrooms, a concession stand, and storage.

“We want this to be a facility that is accessed by all and very inclusive,” Dyer said.

Two of the fields will be lighted, one with natural grass and the other with synthetic. The latter can also be used for field hockey.

The first phase of the $11.7 million project will be paid mostly with ARPA funds ($9.2 million), impact fees ($1.9 million), Measure P ($611,000) and the general fund ($15,000).

A second phase, parks director Aaron Aguirre said, will include baseball fields and pickleball courts.

Four members of the city council — Mike Karbassi, Miguel Arias, Tyler Maxwell, and Annalisa Perea — attended the event.

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What’s in a Name?

The city is seeking public input on a name for the park, presenting 10 names in an online survey, all with agricultural themes.

The names include — Peach, Stone and Seed, Heritage Harvest, The Grove, The Vineyard, Vine and Legacy, Golden Fields, Peach and Vine, Harvest Horizons, and Arbor Legacy.

Some City Hall officials privately said the names were generic or uninspired.

The council will make the ultimate decision on the name. Names mentioned during the ceremony could also be options:

— The late Tim Liles served as principal at nearby Sunnyside High School and was an advocate for the sports complex.

— The late Tom Metry was a longtime advocate for youth soccer and a youth coach.

— Jaime Ramirez is the longtime soccer coach at Fresno Pacific University and a member of several Halls of Fame.