Christine Gulrich, in her letter to the editor (Aug. 11), suggested using the Heritage Orchard for soccer fields. Perhaps she's not aware that on Oct. 4, 2000, the Saratoga City Council unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the Heritage Orchard as being of historical, cultural and aesthetic value as part of the heritage of Saratoga and Santa Clara County. They resolved that our Heritage Orchard should be maintained, enhanced and made available for education of the public about Saratoga's agricultural history. They recognized it as a valuable asset to the community to be maintained in perpetuity for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Prior to that resolution, a large number of residents formed a group called STOP (Saratogans Treasure Orchard Preservation) and worked long and hard to save this last beautiful remnant of the Valley of Heart's Delight.

To say that such an historical site is "unused" is akin to saying Muir Woods is "unused."

Mac and Jean Barrick

Bonnie Ridge Way

Responsible dog owners
want off-leash facility

As a resident of Saratoga and a responsible dog owner, I am very distressed at the anti-dog sentiments published recently in the Saratoga News. I walk my dog on a leash and I pick up after her. Most Saratoga dog owners do the same.

Dog owners and non-dog owners are equally dismayed when our streets are dirty and when an unleashed dog threatens another dog or person. Calling the sheriff and citing the owner does not solve the problem. Dogs are social creatures, and well-socialized dogs should be welcome in all public places. Dogs, like people, cannot be socialized staying indoors or locked in back yards—they must be exposed to the outdoors, to other people, and to other dogs.

It is inconceivable for a community to exist without a public space for children to play. It is equally unrealistic to expect that dogs should be prohibited from all of those spaces, all the time. Neighboring communities have planned dog parks because dogs need a safe place to run free, socialize, be dogs without disturbing others. Whenever Saratoga contemplates the formation of a dog park, the motion is tabled. This is not fair to the large number of people and dogs who live here. Dog owners pay taxes too, and dog owners also have pride in our community. Everyone would benefit if Saratoga moves forward with plans to establish places for dogs to run without being harassed by other citizens or law enforcement individuals.

Another recent concern is the problem of dog droppings. The majority of dog owners that we meet on our daily walks carry and use bags. However, once one leaves downtown there are no trash receptacles in which to deposit the bags. I suggest that the city install trash baskets at strategic locations along Saratoga­Sunnyvale Road, perhaps at alternating bus stops. Hopefully our residents who discard soda cans, food wrappers and cigarette butts would use them also.

If we all cooperate in accepting responsibility for our dogs then it is reasonable and appropriate for us to expect that the city of Saratoga provide adequate and appropriate facilities for all of our residents to enjoy.

Sherry Schare

Russell Lane

Kevin Moran functions as
a neighborhood park

The Saratoga City Council has directed its staff to research Kevin Moran Park's history so as to decide if the park was/is a community or a neighborhood park. That's a no-brainer.

1. I moved into my present home on Saraglen Drive in 1967, when the park was built. I took walks around the path. Over the years I have walked I have met various neighbors who also walked, others who walked their dogs, mothers with young children some on tricycles, others who came to play in the sand or use the swings. I looked forward to the morning or afternoon walks as a time to socialize with neighbors, children, and dogs. It was a neighborhood park and it still is.

2. The park is located on the upper northern end of the city of Saratoga, almost as far away as you can get from the center (community) of Saratoga.

3. One might consider the park at the end of an almost "dead-end" street. The only way to drive to it is on Scully off Prospect Road, or Scully off Miller (Scully starts south from Prospect to the park, makes a 90-degree left turn east at the park and ends at Miller).

4. Howard Miller, regional representative for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), stated there were 1,000 registered children from Saratoga. The sign at the intersection of Prospect Road and Saratoga­Sunnyvale Road shows a population of 29,645 in Saratoga. Granted the sign/numbers are out of date, but let's say the population is actually 32,000. That means 1 out of every 32 people in Saratoga is a soccer player. How about that!

5. Soccer games in Saratoga are currently played at two fields, Congress Springs and Blue Hills Elementary School. There are three other practice fields at other elementary schools. Do the numbers: 1,000 soccer players, with approximately 333 players at each field if you include Kevin Moran. So if only 100 show up to play—100 players along with parents, friends, etc.—that would be 100 SUVs. And knowing the nature of people, not all will park in a parking lot. Scully is not a very wide street (with a blind turn at the park). Imagine the curb parking line-up—and the non-soccer player neighbors trying to drive up and down Scully.

6. What are the estimates on maintenance for garbage, bathrooms, and parking lot? How about safety for children using the pedestrian bridge over Highway 85 who go over it to school at Blue Hills? Bathrooms attract vagrants and there indications that some may have been using the space under the entrance to that bridge.

I think Christine Gulrich has a good idea (Saratoga News, Aug. 11): build two soccer fields on the large unused Heritage Orchard on Saratoga Avenue. That area is already a community area (can't you hear the screams now?).

However, Saratoga owns the unused church/support buildings/parking lot at 29645 Prospect Road. This area could be retrofitted into one or two soccer fields. Part of the present parking lot could be saved, and there is plumbing, electricity etc., ready for conversion. It might be less expensive than redoing Kevin Moran.

John P. McManus

Saraglen Drive