The Park Advisory Board (PAB) met on August 22 to gather public input on projects and equipment that would improve the Palisades Recreation Center. Only six residents and Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s field deputy Joaquin Macias attended, but the nine board members received numerous suggestions. ’We want to improve the park,’ said board vice chairman Mike Skinner, a past Citizen of the Year for his leadership efforts to build the Field of Dreams. ‘We’re hopeful that can raise funds within the community to pay for these improvements.’ At the meeting, residents and Rec Center staffers submitted a wide variety of wishes (in person and via board members), ranging from new facilities and renovations to more classes and picnic tables. In the FACILITIES category, ideas included a senior center where seniors could hear lectures, discussions and gather for companionship; a room for fingerprinting (since so many people who volunteer are now required to be fingerprinted); a permanent skateboard park, a dog park, a soccer field and a remote-car track. The PLAYGROUND wish list included a fence that encloses the entire play yard, an awning over the space, replacing the sand with rubber mats, and updated play equipment. FIELD requests included replacing the grass with synthetic turf on diamonds two and four (as well as the field at the park’s entrance), and awnings over the baseball bleachers. GYM upgrades included earthquake retrofitting and floor resurfacing for the small gym, motorized basketball hoops that can be raised or lowered from 8 to 10 feet in relation to the age group playing, working air conditioning for both gyms and solar panels. YARD wishes included more picnic tables and park benches, resurfaced basketball courts and new backboards. In the lower picnic area, which is under-utilized according to park director Erich Haas, installing a roller hockey surface would free up more room for basketball next to the playground. In the large paved space between the two gyms, residents would like a handball wall or a tetherball court. Suggested REC CENTER upgrades included adding Wifi, installing security cameras, creating a Web site specific to the park and improving access in the drop-off area in front of the small gym. Haas would also like to connect the two gyms or move the park office to a new location, so that both gyms could be opened at the same time. Currently, he lacks enough staff to have both gyms remain open if an activity is not scheduled. ART/CRAFT/GAME suggestions included expanded art and craft classes for children during the day with senior volunteers, a Palisades Park orchestra and game challenges during the summer involving chess, checkers and ping-pong. Finally, seek a LAND USE firm that would work pro bono in order to determine the best use of the space at the park. The firm could possibly complete an environmental analysis and suggest an area for a community garden. A special meeting will be held in late September, before the PAB’s quarterly meeting in October, so that residents can provide feedback on which of the items in this article should top the priority list. Audience members will be asked to number each suggestion between one and five (one meaning ‘do it now’ and five ‘forget about it’). Residents are reminded that if an improvement/wish can be funded with special funding (e.g., Prop. K or a specific grant), it might mean that a ‘three’ suggestion could move to the top of the list.
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