By Jack Mallory
Several months ago I was invited by the Parks and Recreation Commission to participate on a task force. The main objective was to organize a community workshop that would allow Saratoga residents to join together to provide input on how the limited amount of park funds would be spent and to make a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Commission. We held 23 meetings over three months to achieve our objective. I am happy to say that it was worth the effort.
As a former City Council member and follower of the Saratoga political scene, I was skeptical that we would achieve our objective and come to a reasonable consensus. So when 70 positive Saratogans came together on June 8 for the Community Recreation and Park Workshop, I was very pleased. Residents came from many different interests, varied backgrounds and in many cases, with specific agendas.
They came, they talked, they listened and participated in a group process to prioritize our Parks and Recreation community needs. I was impressed that citizens were enlightened regarding the needs of others and the greater community. This was a great example of a commission and task force that truly wanted and got community involvement to make tough decisions. From the workshop, we learned that our community highly values recreation programs and facilities for our children, playfield partnerships with schools and land acquisition as required.
Monday night, July 8, the Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the task force and to send them to the City Council for approval. These recommendations closely mirrored the community workshop input. We hope the City Council will move quickly on the recommendations as the parks and recreation funds, although very limited, are available and the children need the facilities now--not in five years.
After the City Council acts on these recommendations, the next step will be for the Parks and Recreation Commission and staff to work with neighborhoods, school districts, sports leagues, teens and others involved in parks and recreation to help in the detailed planning phase. Let's keep moving forward with positive, healthy programs for our young children, teens and yes, ourselves.
Jack Mallory is a parks and recreation task-force member and 30-year Saratoga resident.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, July 17, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved