This is about Silva’s Crossing in the creek by Christmas Hill Park. There are “No Swimming” signs posted, but when I walked there today I saw about 40 people swimming there. I wasn’t aware it was a swimming hole. It’s also a protected creek, so I don’t know why Gilroy Police Department doesn’t get those people out of there and enforce the “No Swimming” signs that are posted on the property.
Red Phone:
Thank you, good caller, for your watery inquiry. Red Phone contacted Bill Headley, Parks and Landscape Supervisor for the City of Gilroy for some answers.
According to Headley, there is a drop pool below Silva’s Crossing located in Uvas Creek downstream of Miller Avenue, which is posted with a “No Swimming” sign. Headley said, “The pool is located in the Debell Uvas Creek Park Preserve.”
Asked about the sign, he said, “The city posted the sign as a warning. During high water flows the water velocity can be dangerous. Storm and high water flows are focused through the manmade culverts under the roadway. Even shallow water of a few feet can be treacherous when moving at a high velocity where your legs can be knocked out from under you.”
Red Phone also contacted Gilroy Police Chief Denise Turner. She thanked Red Phone for bringing this situation to her attention. “The parks and maintenance staff will remind people swimming [in the pool] that it is posted ‘No Swimming,’” Turner said. “If we have problems with folks not leaving, the parks staff will notify the PD. Our officers will come out as time permits and issue warnings, and possibly give swim tokens to two high school pools.”
So, good caller, perhaps the swimmers will read Red Phone and be educated on the dangers of the natural pool and pay heed to the signs. If lucky, they might even receive entry to the high school swimming pools.
