San Jose Spotlight
Dead, dry grass and tree stumps covering a corner of a popular Los Gatos neighborhood park will be transformed into a new grove thanks to a financial boost.
Live Oak Manor Park, a roughly 4.1-acre, narrow strip of land nestled between homes and utility poles, will be replanted with a centennial grove and a meandering path. The grove will replace the dead grass and include benches and a copse of trees surrounding a central tree. The majority of funding will come from the Rotary Club of Los Gatos as a celebration of its 100th anniversary.
The cost has yet to be determined, but the club and town plan to fund the project, with construction slated for fall. The club is working with San Jose-based HMH Engineers to bring its design to life.
Adam Mayer, a Los Gatos resident and Rotary Club member for about two years, said the club selected the park for its celebration because of the town's recommendation. He said some parks like Live Oak have received less attention than parks closer to the historic downtown, and he's glad the rotary can help address that gap at Live Oak.
"We wanted to create a space that not only commemorated the town and the Rotary Club, but (gave) users of the park just a place where they can sit on a bench and have a quiet, reflective time or read a book," he told San Jose Spotlight.
The Los Gatos Town Council unanimously approved the project and club's donation in June. The renovations will add to existing amenities including a basketball court, playground, walking path and benches. A town spokesperson said Los Gatos has not completed comprehensive updates to the park, but has replaced equipment and planted trees as funding permitted.
If the Rotary Club hadn't supported this project, the town would have only been able to replace some trees in the near future using designated funds, the spokesperson added.
Councilmember Rob Moore lives about two minutes from the park. He said he enjoys going there nearly every other night and that it's a valuable neighborhood park for people like him who live in fourplexes without access to big yards. He said the new amenities will further equitability for Los Gatos' east side parks.
"These are just parts of town that haven't received the same investment as other parts," he told San Jose Spotlight. "So being able to beautify parts of town where it makes, in my opinion, sort of an outsized difference, I think is really critical."
Parks in municipalities across Santa Clara County have also faced equity issues. Last month, advocates called out unsafe, scorching metal slides as an equity issue at Emma Prusch Farm Park's new playground. In May, advocates said Cupertino boosted park equity by advancing a project along one of its bustling expressways.
Los Gatos resident Dean Kim, 47, has lived in the area for about 10 years and uses Live Oak Manor Park daily for walking, playing basketball and soaking in nature. He said he's looking forward to the improvements.
"That's great. I like that stuff because I love the trees and the grass," he told San Jose Spotlight. "I love the nature right here."
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