The Board has wisely cut off the flow of talk about a
mega-resort on Hecker Pass, now the next steps are critical to
cement a positive future
Thankfully, there won’t be a $200 million water park and resort on Hecker Pass Highway. The traffic absurdity alone is more than enough to derail this fanciful notion.
Now what? What about a Joint Powers Agreement between the city and the County of Santa Clara to own. The county, though strapped in many departments, is flush with park funding thanks to voters who instituted mandatory funding levels with overwhelming support for Measure B in 1996.
The city, conceivably, could cut its capital outlay –$13 million or so for the park purchase – in half as well as sharing the operating budget for maintenance, etc. with the county.
Since the park’s nature is more regional than city in nature due to its size, location and scope, this could be a natural fit.
Don Gage, Gilroy’s former mayor who now represents South County as a Santa Clara County supervisor, could certainly speak to the possibility and potential benefits. It could be a wonderful park, for example, to stage bike rides from.
Perhaps the city could even undo the annexation so that the property reverts to county land-use control. That would remove any doubt about the future of the land and might even be looked upon kindly by the city’s nemesis, LAFCO.
Given City Hall’s propensity for full control, however, the above scenario will likely be given short shrift.
Regardless, if the City Council decides to buy the park – and there are ample good reasons to do so – the amusement park aspect of it should be shut down as soon as possible.
If the city can devise a legitimate plan to turn the park into a world-class horticulture park like Butchart Gardens in Vancouver, British Columbia then we’re all ears.
A garden wonderland goes perfectly with the wineries on Hecker Pass and Goldsmith’s beautiful seed operation.
But the hybrid version – plants and kiddie rides – is a proven loser. And please don’t insult our intelligence with the smoke-and-mirrors notion which suggests that if the city of Gilroy pays off the debt then the park makes money. The debt doesn’t magically disappear, it’s part of the equation, and it should remain so until it’s paid off if the park continues to be an amusement attraction.
Lastly, a mega-water resort or a Shoreline-type venue is the last thing that would be appropriate for the area. We’re glad the Gardens board has recognized that quickly before any uproar becomes all-consuming.
Now it’s time for the city to reverse a trend and make the right moves on the Gardens for the future of our community.
