Prospect High School Asks City For Money to Build Gym
Proposal does not include use of high school's fields
SHS is an option for fields
By Kara Chalmers
Prospect High School Principal Rita Matthews has proposed that the city help the high school build a brand new gym--a project that is estimated to cost $3.3 million. According to Matthews, the city in return would be able to use the new gym for its own recreation programs. Prospect High School is located within the city limits of Saratoga but is part of the Campbell Union High School District.
The high school already has a full gym, and the new one that is being proposed would only have room for one basketball court with limited bleacher seating, Matthews said.
"It could work for practices and could be used as a community facility," she said.
According to Matthews and Cary Bloomquist, Saratoga city staff liaison to the parks and recreation commission, the city and the high school have not discussed a specific proposal. Matthews said she hopes to have a meeting with city officials as soon as possible to discuss the needs of both parties.
"As a principal, I take the philosophy that we need to be community based," she said. She did not ask the city to contribute a specific amount.
The tentative proposal was met with mixed reactions at the parks and recreation commission meeting on Jan. 8. Ultimately, the commission decided they did not yet have adequate information to make any kind of decision on the proposal.
The city's director of recreation, Joan Pisani, said she thinks the city's gym needs are being met right now, especially since Redwood Middle School has reopened and since the city has a use agreement with Saratoga High School for its facilities. Commissioner Nick Seroff countered by saying the city could always use more gyms.
Commissioner Elaine Clabeaux expressed a concern that the city would dribble its money away here and there, which could ultimately hinder the city's plans for a full community center in the civic center area, possibly with a new gym of its own.
"I don't see this as a "win" situation for the city," she said of Prospect's proposal. But Commissioner Sheila Ioannou said she wouldn't have a problem trading money for use of Prospect's gym.
Councilman Nick Streit, who was present at the meeting, suggested that if the city finds a gym it can use, the city could take plans for a gym out of its master plan for the entire civic center area, which it is creating now. Without a gym included, the costs of building a full service community center in the city would decrease.
The proposal from Prospect was solely for the city's use of the new gym and did not include the fields at the high school, of which, according to Matthews, there are not enough to share with the city. The high school has said no to the city's request to use their fields in the past.
Since the city decided to commit to a $1.2 million renovation project for Congress Springs Park, the city's primary public park for soccer and baseball, it has been trying to find temporary sites for AYSO soccer and Little League teams to use while the park is being renovated. Congress Springs is half designed and construction on it is set to begin in June, according to the city's public works director, John Cherbone.
The city recently secured an extra two days of practice time for AYSO at the Institute of Religion, the Church of Latter Day Saints on Allendale Avenue. Cherbone is engaged in negotiations with Saratoga High School officials for the use of their fields as soccer game fields on Saturdays during the construction of Congress Springs Park, as well.
One problem that has emerged during the Congress Springs Park renovation is where to find a field for Saratoga's Pony League, a baseball league for 13- to 14-year-olds that requires a field too big for Little League and too small for high school baseball. The Pony League field that is located at Congress Springs Park today will be removed to make room for more Little League and soccer, both of which have many more members than the Pony League. According to Cherbone, the city also is engaged in negotiations with the high school for a permanent Pony League field there.
"At this point, it's too preliminary to say," Cherbone said, but implied that Saratoga High School is the city's last hope.
One of the reasons Saratoga High School has come to play an integral role is because an offer from West Valley College, which the city also considered for both temporary soccer fields and a permanent Pony League field, turned out to be too expensive.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
