Futsal, a form of indoor soccer, is one of the sports that will be featured at Porterville's Santa Fe Sportsplex. Photo by Laura Rincon on Pexels.

The City of Porterville announced Monday that it has been awarded a $2.5 million grant to develop the Santa Fe Sportsplex, a complex that will eventually be part of the Santa Fe Byway development including the sports complex, a new library and a new community recreation center.

Porterville is just one of ten cities nationwide to receive the grant, awarded through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program. The program provides matching grants to cities for projects in underserved communities that help revitalize existing parks and connect residents with outdoor recreation.

The project, which will include ten lighted futsal courts, two lighted multi-sport courts, restroom facilities and landscaping, including drought tolerant trees, plants and solar lighting, will run alongside the Santa Fe Byway trail.

The development will aim to provide more outdoor recreation opportunities for youth.

The project, first announced in 2022, received public support, approving the use of funding to expand extracurricular activities, specifically soccer fields, and expand active green space in the city.

In addition to funds generated from the programmed sale of the Heritage Community Center and grants like the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, the project will also utilize funds from Measure R and other various park grants.

The complete project is estimated to cost around $5 million.