The San Benito County Parks and Recreation commissioners are hosting a public workshop Aug. 1, at 6 p.m., at the Veterans Memorial Building in the upstairs conference room, 649 San Benito St.
Janelle Cox, a management analyst with the county who works with the commissioners, said the workshop will begin with a consultant sharing their findings during their field research on the geology, hydrology and biological components of the area around the River Parkway. From there, residents have a chance to work in small groups to share what they want for the future park.
“We want to get from them specifically what type of elements they would like to see,” Cox said.
She said residents will be able to provide input on how they would like the river parkway to be aligned as it stretches from San Juan Bautista down to the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos.
“Do they want it to – at all costs – follow the river?” Cox said. “Or do they want a route to get from one point to the other?”
She said the discussion will help decide if the entire park follows closely along the river, or if portions might be constructed as a bike lane along local roadways, such as a future bike lane along Highway 156.
“We want to know the alignment and the goals of the trail, and what elements they would like to see,” Cox said.
The park is still in the early planning stages. The first portion of the river parkway that is likely to be developed is between Fourth Street and Hospital Road.
“I really encourage people that this is their opportunity to guide the conceptual design, which will be a major recreational feature in the community for years to come,” Cox said. “This is the chance to design it the way they really want to see it.”
River Parkway Public Workshop
Aug. 1, 6 p.m., at the Veterans Memorial Building, upstairs conference room, 649 San Benito St.
Residents will be able to suggest trail locations, provide theme ideas and share desires are concerns for the future park.
