A report presented at Monday’s Hollister council meeting on repair work at local parks underscored how city officials have invested close to $600,000 on them since July 2014.
Management Services Director Mike Chambless at Monday’s meeting provided a report on city spending activity in local parks over the past 19 months or so. Chambless mentioned the price tag of all that work, such as an array of new playgrounds and refurbished playing fields. He said of the $820,000 spent since the summer of 2014, $250,000 came from grants.
That means the city has spent about $570,000 in discretionary dollars on the park upgrades. Officials on Monday indicated they didn’t plan to slow down, either, with planned repairs at Tony Aguirre and Calaveras parks coming soon, along with such possible additions as skate spots at places like Dunne Park and a half-court basketball setup at Valley View Park.
Chambless started off his presentation by going down a list of repairs such as completion of skate park upgrades at Veterans Memorial Park, a new playground at Las Brisas Park, a new playground at Park Hill, refurbished fields and tennis courts at Dunne Park, a new playground and picnic area at the airport park, new drinking fountains at Calaveras and Aguirre parks, a range of improvements at Valley View Park such as new webbing for a climbing structure and a new water feature deck, and fixes to the softball fields and fencing at Veterans Memorial Park.
Chambless mentioned other future projects such as installing bathrooms at Valley View Park, Brigantino Park, Aguirre Park and Park Hill.
Councilwoman Mickie Luna expressed gratitude for the report after requesting it. She noted an additional safety concern, pointing out how she recently went to Aguirre Park and saw children kicking a ball into Graf Road.
“It was very unsafe to see those children run into that road,” she said.
She asked about adding fencing there, and Chambless said officials could look at possibly installing a short fence.
Councilman Ray Friend asked about another area not mentioned much in the report, the skate spots that council members agreed to in concept a year ago.
City Manager Bill Avera responded how a design is finished for Dunne Park and that council members would see it soon.
