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Those looking forward most to a renovated Las Piedras Park - hundreds of kids involved in organized youth sports - were on hand for Thursday evening’s groundbreaking that many young athletes interrupted their soccer play to take part in. Center left to right are: Mike Zielsdorf, Pacific Coast Land Design, Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez, Councilman Fred Robinson, Mayor Bob Gonzales, Councilman Jim Tovias, and City Manager Jamie Fontes. |
Ground broken for first phase of Las Piedras Park renovation
February 01, 2012
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Those looking forward most to a renovated Las Piedras Park - hundreds of kids involved in organized youth sports - were on hand for Thursday evening’s groundbreaking that many young athletes interrupted their soccer play to take part in.
Elected and city officials were also on hand for the event that signaled the start of the project’s first phase, including Mayor Bob Gonzales, Vice Mayor Ralph Fernandez and Councilman Jim Tovias, Recreation Commissioners Bill Grant and Tim Hicks, City Manager Jaime Fontes, Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez and Acting Community Services Director Ed Mount. Representatives of US Dash Construction Inc. and Pacific Coast Design also attended the January 26 ceremony.
Also on hand were Las Piedras Park Santa Paula Police Storefront Coordinator Calla Dominguez and Assistant Coordinator Jenny Bonilla. Any improvements will be welcome, said Dominguez, who lives nearby and noted the popularity of community built Las Piedras. “This park gets so full on Sundays, so full” that parking is at a minimum for blocks in all directions.
Yanez said the renovation project would tackle irrigation systems, create a new soccer field, replace lights and add two new lighted basketball courts, among other improvements. “At our other basketball court the kids would play in the shadows” created at night by the lights for the soccer field.
Other improvements include planting 80 trees on park grounds, which Yanez estimated at about four and a half acres. He acknowledged having a variety of emotions about the park and its improvements.
“This one means a lot to me; I grew up about 300 feet from the park and had personal attachments. As recreation director I helped design it, then it goes to public works; well, now I’m public works so it’s pretty neat actually.”
The project is estimated to take about 75 days, and Gonzales said the cost is right around $900,000 funded by Community Development Block Grant and development impact fees. Gonzales noted former Councilman John Procter in the crowd and noted the long project development process that was interrupted and restarted when funding fell short of initial plans and a redesign was required. As soccer players crowded around, Gonzales said new turf and walkways would be added and bleachers constructed as well as other amenities for sports users and watchers including youth football fans.
Las Piedras Park is located from 13th to 14th streets between Saticoy and Orchard streets. Yanez said the project is being done to “try to accommodate current users to the best we can and we hope they’ll be patient. They’re going to get a quality project at the end and I know they’ll appreciate it when it’s done.”
“I can’t wait for the new soccer field,” said 11-year-old John Ortega as he jostled for a position in the photograph being taken of officials brandishing ceremonial groundbreaking shovels, “but I guess I’ll have to!”
