01-17-2012 - Amendments to FY 2011-2012 Community Development B - Item 11 Attach 3 (2).pdfLandscape Architects and Park Planners
David Volz Design
DEL NORTE PARKCITY OF WEST COVINA
Community Outreach
Community Input Summary
August 10, 2011
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Wednesday, August 10, 2011, members of the West Covina Community were invited to
participate in a community outreach event held at Del Norte Park. The purpose of the
outreach was to solicit public input regarding future park improvements specifically for
Del Norte Park and through this process identify and establish some level of importance
for future park improvements. The community outreach was well attended, drawing
approximately 55 people. City staff, with the assistance of David Volz Design, encouraged
participants to think about new park improvements as well as existing concerns or
shortcomings of the existing park facilities. The David Volz Design team had participants
separate into five groups, with an aerial map of the park site and color markers in hand,
urged each group to draw and/or write down their ideas. Each group was given about 20 to
30 minutes to complete this exercise. A representative from each group was asked to present
their plan to the rest of the group. On the following pages is a list of comments generated by
each table and their plans they drew and wrote upon.
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TABLE 1
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Expand walkways
• Upgrade play equipment (2-5 year olds)
• Utilize and/or purchase West Covina School District property (R.O.P. site) to expand park
• Dog Park (R.O.P. site)
• Basketball Court (R.O.P. site)
• New water features (pool/pond/fountain)
• New restroom near baseball field
• More bench seating (in shaded areas )
• More park lighting to supplement existing lighting system
• New outdoor fitness equipment
• Upgrade Park lighting (poles and fixtures)
• Refurbish tennis courts
• Increase on-site parking opportunities
• Fix or provide new drinking fountains
• Make trash bin storage area larger
• Provide more litter receptacles
• Upgrade landscape
• Renovate the baseball building “the shack” near Nora Avenue.
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Inadequate parking
• Inadequate park surveillance /security
• Graffiti – graffiti-proof bathroom
• Address the gopher problem (R.O.P. site)
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TABLE 2
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Upgrade play equipment
• New swings (2-5 year olds)
• Replace sand play surface with rubber and/or walk-on wood chips
• Utilize and/or purchase West Covina School District property (R.O.P. site) to expand park
• Dog Park
• Renovate and make accessible Basketball Courts ( R.O.P. site)
• Water features (Splash pad)
• New restroom near baseball field
• More bench seating near playgrounds
• Field lighting for all sport fields
• General all-around upgrades to park
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Inadequate parking (weekends are the problem)
• Do not expand or add tennis courts
• Protect existing trees
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TABLE 3
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Expand walkway system (possibly a designated walking & jogging trail)
• Soccer field (s)
• Upgrade play equipment
• Utilize and/or purchase West Covina School District property (R.O.P. site) to expand park
• Dog Park
• No sand in playground
• New Basketball Court (next to tennis court)
• Water features (Splash pad)
• Field lighting for all sports fields
• Provide park security lighting
• Refurbish tennis courts
• Provide more trees
• Upgrade perimeter walkways
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Evaluate existing parking and make necessary parking improvements
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TABLE 4
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Replace sand at playground
• Utilize and/or purchase West Covina School District property (R.O.P. site) to expand park
• Soccer field (s)
• New “Basketball Court ”lighted” (north of tennis courts)
• New Volleyball Court (north of tennis courts)
• New restroom (north of tennis court)
• New water features (Splash pad)
• Horse shoe pits
• Provide more trees (R.O.P. site)
• Provide BBQ units at covered picnic shelters
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Pedestrian crosswalk mitigation along Sunset Ave.
• Inadequate parking
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TABLE 5
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Utilize and/or purchase West Covina School District property (R.O.P. site) to expand park
• Expand walkway system
• Provide permanent outfield fencing for baseball fields (R.O.P. site)
• Soccer fields
• Restore basketball Court (R.O.P. site)
• Utilize parking (R.O.P. site)
• Remove parking on southeast corner of R.O.P. site
• New restroom (north of tennis court)
• New restroom (R.O.P. site)
• Provide left hand turn pockets on north bond Sunset Ave to access parking lots
• Provide new picnic shelters (R.O.P. site)
• Provide BBQ units at covered picnic shelters
• Frisbee golf
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Pedestrian crossing along Sunset Ave. access Del Norte Park
• Make R.O.P. site parking accessible during the weekends
SUMMARY
The community expressed an interest in a wide variety of park improvements for Del Norte Park and beyond.
They voiced a strong interest, for the City, to explore possibilities of using the West Covina School District’s
grass fields (R.O.P. site) for park activities. Their level of interest in the school property would not include the
use of any buildings. The use of the school district’s fields would approximately double the amount of usable
parklands (the actual acreage in question would need to be verified). Many improvements suggested can be
incorporated in the Del Norte Park boundary; other improvements, such as additional baseball and soccer
fields, and use of paved surfaces for basketball and additional parking, could only be realized if the adjoining
school district’s property is utilized.
The community expressed a strong interest to expand walking/jogging paths throughout the park, ideally
extending these pathways into the adjoining school property, increasing the number of benches, refurbishing
the tennis court surface and upgrading park lighting, including field and security. The community favored a
new water play feature, such as a fountain or splash pad and requests that a new restroom be located near
the tennis courts. The community favored the idea of incorporating individual outdoor fitness stations and
general upgrades to the park’s landscape and restroom. The community strongly urged the City to replace the
playground sand with rubberized playground surface. Even though, upgrades to the existing play equipment
were not outwardly expressed, the community was not opposed to new play equipment, including swings for
2 to 5 year olds, to replace the older “out-dated” play equipment. A number of plans noted that a dog park is
desirable.
Many people voiced their concerns about insufficient parking, both on and off site, therefore, additional
parking is strongly recommended. Suggested locations to expand parking include, west of the current on-site
parking lot and various locations on the school district property. Pedestrian crossings along Sunset Avenue
should be considered to safely access the park from the east.
The community expressed appreciation for the park’s mature trees, for the shade they provide, and consider
the trees to be an asset and should be protected as park improvements are realized.
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Landscape Architects and Park Planners
David Volz Design
PALM VIEW PARKCITY OF WEST COVINA
Community Outreach
Community Input Summary
August 17, 2011
1
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Wednesday, August 17, 2011, members of the West Covina Community were invited to
participate in a community outreach event held at Palm View Park. The purpose of the
outreach was to solicit public input regarding future park improvements specifically for Palm
View Park and through this process identify and establish some level of importance for future
park improvements. The community outreach meeting attracted about 20 participants. City
staff, with the assistance of David Volz Design, encouraged participants to think about new
park improvements as well as existing concerns or shortcomings of the existing park facilities.
The David Volz Design team had participants separate into three groups, with an aerial map
of the park site and color markers in hand, and urged each group to draw and/or write down
their ideas. Each group was given about 20 to 30 minutes to complete this exercise. A
representative from each group was asked to present their plan to the rest of the group. The
following pages gives a list of comments generated by each table and their plans they drew
and wrote upon.
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TABLE 1
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Provide perimeter walkways ( hard and soft pathways)
• New play equipment and layout was viewed favorably
• Provide shaded play opportunities within the playground
• Maintain “Neighborhood Park” feel and appearance
• Outdoor fitness equipment
• Renovate open turf area (make greener)
• Remove drinking fountain in the open grass area
• Keep open areas “Open”
• Provide more litter receptacles plus a lockable trash bin enclosure
• Provide more shade trees
• “KEEP THE PLANE” ….it is a park icon!
• Improve baseball field
• Provide shaded bleachers
• Improve park lighting
• Provide new restrooms
• Increase the distance of the “homerun” outfield fencing from 200 feet to 225 feet
• Line the outfield fencing with trees
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Lack of adequate parking
• “Park by Permit” only signs in residential areas
• Consider a “Pedestrian Crossing” and/ or “Park Zone” caution signs along Puente Avenue, near the
northwest corner of the park.
• Lack of general park lighting including afterhours park security lighting. Areas that lacked adequate
lighting included the baseball plaza area along the first base fencing & adjacent school property fencing.
• Trees along the southeast corner of park need to be either trimmed and/or removed. These trees
prevent cast too much shade on the nearby resident and increase the pest problem.
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TABLE 2
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Improve park lighting
• Replace playground sand with rubber
• “KEEP THE PLANE”
• Provide outdoor fitness equipment
• Maintain “Neighborhood Park “ feel and appearance
• Provide dog waste stations and etiquette rules
• Keep open areas “Open”
• Post more “Park Rules” signs
• Incorporate more trees around the perimeter
• Provide more beach seating
• Provide shaded bleacher seating at baseball field
• Provide a community garden
• Provide an amphitheater
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Parking issues need to be addressed prior to any park upgrades that might attract more users (ie.
Baseball and picnic facilities)
• Consider more parking lighting for safety reasons
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TABLE 3
NEW PARK FEATURES AND UPGRADES:
• Provide walking/jogging paths
• Utilize adjacent school parking lot
• Provide better access between Palm View Park and school site
• Maintain and protect existing trees
• Keep open areas “Open”
• “KEEP THE PLANE”
• New play equipment and layout viewed favorably, if costs can be justified
• New splash pad water-play feature viewed favorably, if costs can be justified
• Provide shaded bleacher seating at baseball field
ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
• Lack of security lighting
• Lack of parking, especially during baseball season. Expansion of parking lot might occur between the
existing parking lot and the baseball plaza.
• Adjust irrigation system, too much water is being applied in the open turf area
SUMMARY
The community commented on many park improvements. Many expressed concerns that future park
improvements be done in a manner to enhance and not take away from the “neighborhood park” feeling
and character. They felt strongly about keeping the airplane play piece and explained that the plane is a
visual icon and is a special park feature. However, they were not opposed to upgrading the remaining play
components and expanding the playground. There was a strong interest to replace playground sand with a
rubber type play surface. There was moderate interest in a water play feature, such as a splash pad; however,
they would favor the playground upgrades if having to choose between the two items and money were an
issue.
Other favorable improvements includes more bench seating, more litter receptacles and a perimeter walking/
jogging path around the park’s perimeter. New outdoor fitness equipment placed along the perimeter
walkway would be a welcomed amenity. The community favors shaded seating areas and specifically
identified two areas, park, near the playground and bleacher, at the baseball field.
There was a strong emphasis that parking be addressed prior to making park improvements that might attract
even greater numbers of park users. Residents often have trouble finding parking spaces on their streets
during park events and baseball games. The community felt strongly that upgrades to the existing parking
lights are necessary to provide adequate lighting for general park uses and to improve security.
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ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS
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