Gilroy
– Manuel Rocha wants to see Forest Street Park expanded and
renovated for a healthier community, but others don’t see a need to
fix what is not broken, thereby putting the city council in a
quandry.
Gilroy – Manuel Rocha wants to see Forest Street Park expanded and renovated for a healthier community, but others don’t see a need to fix what is not broken, thereby putting the city council in a quandry.
A few months ago, city council directed staff to conduct a master plan redesign of the Forest Street Park, which included input from neighbors before plans are implemented.
A subcommittee met with residents to gather information about whether the neighborhood wants to expand the park and to determine what features should be in a larger park.
The quarter-acre of turf and trees sits between Sixth and Old Gilroy streets. It currently has a picnic and children’s play area, but there are plans to add another children’s play area, meandering sidewalks, and a wet play area such as a spray park, an aquatic playground where water is sprayed from structures or ground sprays.
But none of this can be done if the neighbors don’t want it, and though the city council would like to see the park expanded and renovated, their direction was that the master plan reflect the desires of the neighbors in the area.
But just a dozen or so people attended each of two meetings in the area, and most said they don’t want the park expanded.
“We came out of that meeting with a whole different to-do list,” said Susan Andrade-Wax, director of community services for the city. Neighbors concerns were safety, and a parks crew went in and pruned the trees, got rid of benches in dark areas, checked on all the lighting, and talked to the police department to increase neighborhood patrols, she added.
Due to the limited participation, the Parks and Recreation Commission said that the results do not accurately reflect the community interest, and it was recommended that additional efforts be made to include the desires of at least 50 neighbors, Andrade-Wax said.
Bill Headley, Gilroy streets and parks engineer, said residents are usually supportive about park expansion in their own neighborhood and agreed more residents should be included in this decision.
“I think before we close the door on what is best for this park, we should consider a greater survey of the neighborhood rather than make the final decisions,” Headley said. “We just need to validate whether those opinions were reflective of the neighborhood.”
Walter Alvare, who attended both meetings, questioned the votes taken at these meetings.
“The people that would benefit from the expansion of the park weren’t there; the younger families,” said the father of two who has lived in the area for seven years. “We have kids, so we would like to see it expanded.”
Just one of seven residents questioned by the Dispatch said the park should be left alone, and most, including Fermin Barra, who lives on the street across from park, did not know about the meetings.
“How can they possibly speak for the whole neighborhood? Nobody speaks for me but me,” said Barra, who has lived in the area for 20 years and hopes the park is expanded.
Rocha supports any change that will prove positive in his community.
“It wouldn’t hurt to put more grass,” said Rocha, the father of a 3-year-old. “They should put a youth center there too, and a racket ball court. We’re in support of anything healthy for the community. Green grass and space is peaceful.”
The Parks and Recreation Commission will go out a third time to get input from the neighborhood before making a final recommendation to city council on whether or not to expand the park.
Andrade-Wax listed she heard about getting the neighbors more involved, including going door to door and changing the meeting times.
“Maybe a weekend is a better approach. Maybe that last thing on their mind is going to a meeting after work,” she said.
