Chowchilla council dedicates stage to Barragan family
For The Madera Tribune
From left are: Joann McClendon, city clerk; Dave Riviere, chief of police; Ray Barragan, Jr., City Council member and current mayor pro tem; Waseem Ahmed, city council member; Dennis Haworth, City Council member and current mayor; Brian Haddix, city administrator; Jason Rogers, director of Public Works; and David Ritchie, city attorney.
The Chowchilla City Council gathered in Veterans Memorial Park to dedicate the Barragan Family Performance Stage at 5 p.m. Feb. 27.
Construction of the stage recently concluded and it will become the focal point in the park and in downtown Chowchilla for annual and special events including the summer Music in the Park and Movies in the Park weekly programs.
The stage project was begun when the City of Chowchilla was awarded a $75,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to provide half of the money needed to build the project. The City was in the process of allocating money from its own Capital Projects Fund when it was notified that the Golden Memorial Foundation, the philanthropic side of Golden Memorial Insurance, had decided to provide the required match of $75,000. This generous donation meant that no city funds would be used to pay for the park amenity.
Golden Memorial was started by Ray Barragan, Sr. and the dream has continued under the dedication and guidance of his children Ray Barragan, Jr., Ann Marie Barragan and Andrew Barragan. The Foundation is a strong supporter of many programs and activities in Chowchilla, following the legacy set by Ray, Sr. to be thankful and generous to the community that is home to the business and family.
In return for their generosity, the Chowchilla City Council in March of 2016 voted to name the new park project the Barragan Family Performance Stage. The wording was incorporated into the metal roof frame facade as a way to recognize the contribution.
The public dedication was held on the stage in Veterans Memorial Park at 600 W. Robertson Boulevard, at the northeast corner of 6th Street and Kings Avenue.
