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Council Watch
City parks get new facilities, revisions to municipal code
Redevelopment agency to issue tax bonds to finance downtown parking garage
By Genevieve Roja
It's park season in Campbell.
Three of the city's parks--Campbell, Virginia and the new Edith Morley at the former Winchester Drive-In site--are all getting the full revamp treatment in the next year.
Campbell Park, at the corner of Campbell and Gilman avenues, has undergone a major face-lift, complete with new trees, basketball courts, play structures, swings and benches. It will be open to the public with a grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 19.
Edith Morley Park is slated to open in August 2000. Virginia Park on Virginia Avenue is expected to open shortly after Jan. 1, 2000, according to city public works director Bob Kass.
At last Tuesday's meeting, the City Council approved the conceptual and final plans for Virginia Park, which included moving an existing fence onto Santa Clara Valley Water District property. Moving the fence expands the park area to approximately 2,000 square feet. Because of the relocation, the water district, in addition to an encroachment permit, mandated a joint use agreement similar to the JUA between Campbell Park and the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
The council also approved a resolution to award a contract for construction to Lonestar Landscaping Inc., which bid $204,782 for Virginia Park. Since the bid went over the contracted amount by $100,000, the council also approved a budget adjustment.
"It's nice to see [the park] come to fruition," said Mayor Dan Furtado.
The park, which is intended for toddlers and up, also pleased Councilman Matthew Dean. "I think it's a very good project," he said. "It's amazing."
Following the regular business of the City Council meeting, the council met with the Redevelopment Agency to approve and establish a joint powers authority between the two organizations. The Redevelopment Agency will now proceed to issue its tax allocation bonds to finance the new public parking facility in historic downtown. The parking structure will be built between Second and Third streets along Civic Center Drive. The garage, a three-story, roughly 300-space facility, is slated for completion in May 2001. It is currently in the design phase, according to city redevelopment manager Kirk Heinrichs.
In other parks and recreation business on Wednesday, commissioners recommended that the council approve three modifications to the Campbell Municipal Code. The newest revisions would allow night use of Campbell Park, which now closes at sunset. With the construction of the new hard courts at the park, lights--which have special timers so as not to waste energy--have been added. The commission also recommended that the council make a revision to allow dogs on leash in Edith Morley Park, which currently prohibits dogs.
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Campbell, California
