Recreation Commission continues to craft wish list for new park
February 08, 2017
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The Santa Paula Recreation Commission continued to craft a list of priorities to be presented to the City Council at a future meeting on what should be offered in the city’s new 38-acre park.
The park is part of the Harvest at Limoneira development east of Hallock Drive; more than half of the property, 24 acres, is designated active sports use.
Commissioner Bill Grant was absent from the meeting attended by Commission Chairperson Karen Berry, Vice Chairperson Tim Hicks, and Commissioners Edd Bond and Sharon Mittelholtz as well as Youth Commissioners Jessenia Montiel and Mireille Vargas.
The commission not only has $6 million to craft the park amenities but also has a wish list of added attractions that could be funded by the additional $5 million given to the city in lieu of the construction of a civic center. The development agreement gave the parkland to the city and the “finish funds” are being provided by Limoneira-Lewis, which is crafting the 1,500 housing unit development.
Limoneira-Lewis officials and consultants also attended the meeting, where commissioners discussed park plans and costs including future maintenance that would be the responsibility of the city.
There was discussion on a public swimming pool, which ranked first in the survey taken by 207 residents of what they would like to see in the park. But, a Junior Olympic size would cost a minimum of $1.2 to build and thousands of dollars a year thereafter to maintain and staff.
Vice Mayor Ginger Gherardi attended the meeting as an observer and said the commission should consider other funding sources that would be available for the community.
But, noted Berry and other commissioners, they can’t have it all: “I’m not sure how many people are going to drive in to use that pool,” said Berry, and the commission must consider the best interests of the public at large.
Montiel questioned having an attraction only open for a few months a year and noted tennis courts are also needed.
Mittelholtz is supportive of a pool as is former Mayor Mary Ann Krause, who also attended the meeting and offered input.
Commissioners also discussed additional barbecue spaces and restrooms as well as tot lots, which they learned could be separated to hold equipment to serve children in different age groups.
“The goal here is to have a fabulous facility,” said Berry, “lots of fabulous things to go along with a brand new development, baseball, tennis, basketball, a real field of dreams,” that should include an amphitheater that also ranked high with the public and was first on the commission’s priority list for funding above the initial $6 million.
Recreation Director Ed Mount urged the commission to make sure their priority list includes as much information as possible to give the council a true picture of costs including those into the future.
