The Parks and Rec sub-committee met on September 12, 2012. The chairman, Jim Archer, reported on the meeting he had with the Community Center board. The Community Center park and playground are privately owned by the families of Alpine; the property was donated to the Community Center and the community center board maintains the park with private memberships and donations from the community. No county money is given to the Community Center park except through grants from Supervisor Diane Jacobs’ office.
The Parks and Rec sub-committee met on September 12, 2012. The chairman, Jim Archer, reported on the meeting he had with the Community Center board. The Community Center park and playground are privately owned by the families of Alpine; the property was donated to the Community Center and the community center board maintains the park with private memberships and donations from the community. No county money is given to the Community Center park except through grants from Supervisor Diane Jacobs’ office.
The Community Center’s master plan didn’t coincide with the original plan that P&R had for the old playground behind the Community Center. The Community Center board said they are interested in enhancing the newer play area just to the west and the north of the stage. The Parks and Recs board agreed this was a much better idea.
It will be advantageous as the library will be built next to the community center and they will have restroom facilities. This playground has newer equipment, is more modern, and already has some rubberized play areas.
The old block building will be demolished and will allow for a larger play area for the families. The committee has put in a grant request for $75,000 to Diane Jacobs office to do the required work and we are waiting for a response to get started on the project.
Travis Lyon, a member of the Parks and Recs sub-committee, asked Bill Saumier, from the County, if he and his boss had gone to the property on Arnold Way to check out how that property may work as a second community park. Bill said they had checked out the property and could see there was plenty of room for it to be classified as an active recreation park. Bill said there was room for basketball, tennis, fast soccer and picnicking with parking both at the top of the property and the bottom. There is a drainage runoff that would have to be slowed down. Right now there is a large basin that catches the runoff. Bill suggested making smaller basins and possibly finding a way to recycle the runoff for irrigation. There would also be room for a nice walking track, maybe exercise machines and agility path. The property is partially fenced, and has a working driveway. Travis Lyon asked how the county would handle the property clean-up. Bill Saumier said the County would not purchase property that needed to be cleared. The owner would have to clean it up or lower the price of the property to encompass the clean-up of the property.
Travis Lyon asked what the board should be doing next. Bill said there should be a maintenance plan in place and an insurance plan; it would have to be someone with a 501.3c, which is non-profit status. Bill said a letter of intent from the non-profit would be sufficient to put plans into effect for getting acquisition monies and to talk with the Realtor. The neighbors would be contacted about the possibility of a community park to get their support. Bill said that in quite a few parks there are volunteers who work as camp hosts. They live in their campers on the property to be the eyes and ears for security and maintenance. They usually work 20 hrs a week and there is water and electricity already on the property.
At the next meeting the board will discuss plans for the park area on Arnold Way.
The next meeting will be on Nov. 14, 2012.
