Saratoga News
News
City, West Valley agree, and soccer fans scream 'GOAL!'
By Shannon Burkey
The issue of soccer fields in Saratoga has drawn battle lines and divided neighbors throughout the city for many years. But the city of Saratoga and the West Valley-Mission Community College District have come to an agreement that has all sides feeling they have found a win-win solution.
"I'm very happy about this agreement," said Laura Watkins, who has been an advocate of more fields in Saratoga. "For years the city has been having discussions on this topic. To see it finally come to fruition is a good beginning."
Since a July 19 meeting when the council voted to allocate $250,000 for alternate soccer fields, the city has been in negotiations with West Valley College to use the two fields on its campus for youth soccer league Sunday games.
For years there has been a shortage of soccer playing fields in Saratoga. Games are currently played at Redwood Middle School and Congress Springs Park, but with both the American Youth Soccer Organization and the California Youth Soccer Association playing, game space has long been a problem.
The council originally voted at its Jan. 4 meeting to redevelop the 10.3-acre Kevin Moran Park and put in a full-sized soccer field, a half-sized practice field, restrooms and additional parking. However, neighbors of the park said they did not feel a full-sized playing field was appropriate for the park. This has sparked many battles between the neighbors of Kevin Moran Park and the soccer boosters, and has had the city looking for alternate field space to appease both sides.
The use of the fields at West Valley is not a new idea. But it was not until the city allocated the money that would allow it to help care for the fields at the college and make some necessary improvements, such as sand channels and field expansions, that it was able to successfully negotiate with the college.
The city council voted unanimously at its Sept. 6 meeting to approve the five-year Joint Use Agreement with West Valley College and the college board of trustees voted unanimously at its Sept. 7 meeting to also approve the agreement.
"It wasn't until we had something that would make their fields better that we could go to them with our offer," Councilwoman Kathleen King said. "Doing these fields is truly a win-win-win-win situation that has set us on the right course."
In the terms of the agreement, the city will restore and help maintain two fields at the college; in turn, the college will provide the city with general use credits that can be used toward renting facilities at the college.
"For West Valley College this agreement will assist us greatly in restoring two athletic fields to a high quality level and help maintain these fields at this level," said West Valley College President Phil Hartley. "This will help insure safe and playable fields for our athletes.
"Equally important is that this establishes another long-term cooperative project between the city and college where sharing of expertise and resources will benefit the greater community."
"This is certainly an excellent step forward for providing field space for the youth of Saratoga," said Kevin Moran Park task force member Martin Goldberg. "I commend all those involved in getting this done."
Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith said she is thankful for all the people who put the agreement together, adding that it takes the pressure off many of Saratoga's citizens.
With the use of fields at West Valley, AYSO regional commissioner Howard Miller said teams will no longer need a full-sized field at Kevin Moran Park.
"This is a breakthrough; this is great," Miller said. "We have been in Saratoga for decades, stuck with no place to play games. This solves our game field problems. But we still have a need for practice fields."
