Saratoga News

Hakone Foundation gets approval for fee increase

By Sarah Lombardo

The Saratoga City Council approved a proposed increase in visitor and rental fees at the city-owned Hakone Japanese Gardens in a 4-to-1 March 4 vote. Hakone Foundation members said the increases reflect fiscal reality and the group's new status as independent managers of the facility.

"Since we have become independent of the city, we have had to look for ways to meet expenses," said Daryl Becker, president of the foundation's board of trustees.

Parking fees, which also include admission to the gardens, will be raised to $5 per car every day. The exception will be the first Tuesday of each month, which will be a free parking day. Previously, parking was free every Tuesday, weekday parking was $3 and the weekend parking fee was $5.

A $10 yearlong parking pass for the gardens will no longer be available. A memorandum to city officials from Hakone Gardens office manager Cheryl Lawrence said visitors will be encouraged to become members of the Hakone Foundation for $25, which would allow them to park free all year and to obtain a discount for both the gift shop and facility rentals.

Rental fees themselves will increase from $1,665 to $1,980. The fee covers use of the entire area, including the garden, the Madrone Mound, the lower house and the cultural exchange center.

Parking fees are scheduled to go into effect March 16, and rental fees will be in effect for rentals beginning Jan.1, 1999.

Foundation board co-treasurer Syd Dunton said he doesn't expect the increase in rental fees to affect the gardens' current popularity as a wedding and reception site or its growing popularity as a business conference site.

"We feel comfortable with the increase. When we mentioned it to prospective renters, they didn't raise an eyebrow at all," he said, noting that the foundation compared its proposed increases to fees at other local facilities. "We're still below what they charge," he said.

But not everyone is comfortable with the increase. Councilmember Stan Bogosian, who is the council's representative to Hakone Foundation, cast the lone vote against the increase. At the March 4 council meeting, Bogosian said he wanted to know the foundation's reasons for the proposed increase--in particular, if the parking fees were to raise money or just to encourage visitors to become foundation members.

"I really believe this is a public park," Bogosian said. "Philosophically, I have a problem with raising the fees for citizens to go to a public park." But Bogosian added he thinks the fees are reasonable.

The situation drew attention to Bogosian's scheduling conflicts with the foundation, which make it difficult to attend their meetings. Becker and Dunton denied rumors that the foundation was unhappy with its council representative, however.

"We've changed the meeting night so many times," Dunton said. According to Dunton, foundation meetings are scheduled for nights when the most members can attend, thus making it difficult sometimes for Bogosian to attend. "As much as we desire to have a council representative up there, we feel that we also need to accommodate the board members."

Becker said the foundation is understanding of Bogosian's additional commitments.

"I think he's been very supportive," he said. "All the councilmembers are."

Becker also said the meeting night has been changed to the last Monday of each month.

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