Former Brigantino property is irrigated by treated
wastewater
The 50-acre grassy park on the west end of the San Juan Hwy.
bridge should be open to the public by springtime, as officials
allow the newly-seeded plot to take root during the upcoming rainy
season.
The not-yet-named parcel, commonly referred to as the
Brigantino/Riverside Park Project, was created primarily as a place
for Hollister to utilize treated water from the new sewage plant.
Although the plant provides tertiary treatment of water, which
essentially makes it clean enough to drink, the state does not
allow Hollister to pour it back into the river.
Former Brigantino property is irrigated by treated wastewater
The 50-acre grassy park on the west end of the San Juan Hwy. bridge should be open to the public by springtime, as officials allow the newly-seeded plot to take root during the upcoming rainy season.
The not-yet-named parcel, commonly referred to as the Brigantino/Riverside Park Project, was created primarily as a place for Hollister to utilize treated water from the new sewage plant. Although the plant provides tertiary treatment of water, which essentially makes it clean enough to drink, the state does not allow Hollister to pour it back into the river.
So, using money allocated as part of the sewer plant project, the city paid $5 million for the parcel, which is bordered on its eastern edge by the banks of the San Benito River and on its west by hills. The acres of grass will be irrigated by the treated water, using a high-tech system that monitors wind speeds and weather conditions to ensure proper watering.
The remainder of the treated wastewater may be used for irrigating landscaping or crops, as long as it doesn’t directly come in contact with the fruits or vegetables that will be consumed. The city has been discussing plans for using the extra water.
Clay Lee, Hollister’s community services director, said that the delayed opening of the park will allow some portions of turf that have not fully grown to fill in completely before they are used.
Some areas of the park had grading issues that needed to be addressed to avoid areas of standing water, Lee said, and an access road around the perimeter of the property needed to be covered with base rock to allow equipment to safely travel there.
Other issues included the presence of poison oak on a nearby hillside and the need for a fence along the riverbank, which drops 10 to 15 feet from park-level.
“It’s better to let the turf get fully established through the winter and do an opening in the early spring,” Lee said. “It’s a beautiful area that’s well-developed.”
City officials have discussed creating a master plan for the facility in conjunction with county plans to develop land along the river behind San Benito High School.
The former Brigantino parcel is expected to relieve some of the usage demands placed on the Rancho San Justo Sports Complex and Veterans Memorial Park, particularly by soccer teams.
At this time there are no plans to place permanent structures such as goal posts or bleachers at the park, though a master plan likely would address some of those needs.
“It’s going to be a great asset for the community once we get it up and going,” Lee said. “We know there is going to be pressure on the Parks and Recreation Commission and the city to do something there [facility-wise], but one of the downsides of that location for sports fields is that in the afternoon, it’s like a wind tunnel out there. It’s beautiful in the morning, but there were days the wind was up to 30 mph in the afternoon this summer.”
The city’s Parks and Recreation Commission is expected to begin discussions in the next couple of weeks about selecting a name for the Brigantino parcel. The public process, expected to take between 30 and 45 days, will solicit nominations for the commission to review and ultimately make a recommendation to the City Council.
City crews will maintain the park, using newly-purchased large mowers and other equipment designed to handle the needs at the 50-acre parcel.
