Two letters: Gilroy Gardens water use; Art and Wine Stroll

Gilroy Gardens: what’s the lesson here?
Dear Editor,
Please tell us that Gilroy Gardens’ new attraction,”Water Oasis” is a joke. At a time when we’re enduring one of the worst droughts in the state’s history, this city-owned facility has opened a half-acre play area to “encourage kids to learn about water” while playing in it, getting soaked by giant flowers, pumping and directing water flow and sliding into a lagoon. The largest capital investment at the park since 2005 when Splash Garden was added (what’s with this water-obsession?) encourages—requires—the use of a dwindling natural resource as entertainment. Residents are being forced to cut water use under the threat of $500 per day fines as our lawns—OUR capital investments—are being left to die. Farmers are losing crops, and food prices are rising because of water shortages and all the while, this taxpayer-funded black hole continues to treat this precious commodity as a toy. Recycling the water is no defense; it is still a despicable use of a resource that once gone, will change our lives in ways that we have yet to imagine as we create a Dust Bowl that will make that of the 1930s pale by comparison. Children may indeed “learn about water” at Water Oasis, but what is it we’re teaching and at what cost?    
Sincerely,
Joyce Kettren, Gilroy 
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2014 Gilroy Art and Wine Stroll thank you from downtown
Dear Editor,
Thank you to the Gilroy community, downtown merchants, our local wineries and our wonderful volunteer committee who planned, promoted and executed a most wonderful 2014 Gilroy Art and Wine Stroll in Downtown Gilroy on May 31, 2014. We had more than 600 attendees who spent the afternoon discovering wonderful shopping destinations and our amazing local wineries in downtown.
Thanks to our sponsors: Gilroy Chevrolet, Pinnacle Bank, Shag Beauty Bar, Limelight Actors Theater, Articulate Solutions, Out and About Magazine, The Gilroy Dispatch and Gilroy Today.
A special thank you to our wonderful planning committee: Cheryl Hurlbut, Brian Dauenhauer, Kellen McBain, Elsa LeDon, Sandra Casteneda, Heather Pacheco, Candace VanSambeek, Kevin Heath, John Russell, John Tomasello, Larry Mickartz and Jane Howard for the countless hours spent planning and executing this wonderful event!
Thank you to our Downtown merchants for hosting our local wineries and opening up their businesses to our attendees: 5th Street Coffee, Amoretto Boutique, Station 55 Restaurant, Old City Hall Restaurant, Shag Beauty Bar, Limelight Actors Theater, Gilroy Center for the Arts, Pinnacle Bank, Heritage Bank of Commerce, The Nimble Thimble/ Garlic City Mercantile, Queen of Hearts Boutique, Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, Vacuum Center of Gilroy, Ashford’s Heirlooms, Collective Past, Realty Executives, Leedo Art, Kutz and Colors, Gilroy Demonstration Garden, Gilroy Medical Supply, Predator’s Archery, Collective Past, and Bella Viva Ristorante e Caffe. If you lost count, that’s 24 participating Downtown businesses that hosted our local wineries.
Thank you to our participating wineries: Aimee June Winery, Aver, Calera, Casa de Fruta, Clos la Chance, Creekwood, Casa de Fruta, De Rose, Fortino, Fernwood, Guerra, Guglielmo, Hecker Pass, Kirigin, Mann Cellars, Martin Ranch, Mederios Family Wines, Pessagno, Pietra Santa, Sarah’s Vineyard, Satori, Solis, Sunlit Oaks, WildEye and Sycamore Creek. Our community is so lucky to have such wonderful wineries surrounding us!
Many thanks to the artists on the green next to the Gilroy Center for the Arts, our musicians: Michael Annotti, the Red Barn Rockerz and Vital Signs and our day-of volunteers, including: Jose Montes, Tammy Brownlow, Michelle Garcia and Phil and Joan Buchanan. You truly made our event one-of-a-kind Special thanks to the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, Gilroy Welcome Center, Bella Viva Ristorante e Caffe, Shag Beauty Bar and the Gilroy Center for the Arts for handling ticket sales. We are grateful for your support and partnership in ensuring the success of this event.
We are already planning for next year’s Gilroy Wine Stroll: Saturday, May 30, 2015. Save the date and join us downtown!
Best regards,
Melanie Corona, Event Chair Coordinator, Gilroy Downtown Business Association