Dear Patti,

Right on! However, even in good times we can not afford luxury items for the benefit of the few.

You are correct! As a matter of fact, I think we should just close all the community parks because they are costing way too much money. Just about everyone I know in LG has a yard to play on and most can afford a playground. Why can't they afford to purchase their own ramps and invite some friends over.

You are right on! We should just not move forward in our thinking that leisure activities have changed. Just 100 years ago, all we needed was a stick and an old bycicle rim. I can't believe now we need a park, playground, bike lane, jogging trailes, and a skatepark.

Dear "The Truth",
Your humor is a little stale. And your hiding behind a false front is consistent with your logic; false. And consistent with your proteges' illegal activity in the campaign.
I have no problem with a skate park that is built with private money, insured with private money, policed with private money. Go for it!

Mr Wolf -

Who's hiding behind a false front? Truth is my last name.

In the logic of the article, maybe parks should be funded with private money too.

I really could go either way on this one, but there are a few things that are clear. It won't be funded by private money no matter how much anyone thinks it can be.

The yearly cost of UP TO 50k is about 2 dollars per resident per year. Hmmm! That doesn't seem that much. The 1 million dollar price tag is a different story because it will more than likely end up at a higher number. I can understand the argument for that, but LG has the funds to build it now.

I also find it pretty interesting that you talk about my proteges illegal activity. Are you accusing me of something? You better have your ducks in a row if go that route.

And yes... My humor is quite stale. Can't blame someone for giving it a shot.

(Edited 01/23/08 10:13 am)
(Edited 01/23/08 10:14 am)

I wish I had a million dollars, and $50,000 a year for life (forget about the $1M piece of land). Boy, the things I could do in this town to make so many more people happy and appreciative.

Bill

I'd love to hear what you could do with 1 mill and 50k for life?

Would it have to do with providing facilities within the community that could provide suitable enjoyment and exercise for our younger citizens?

Hay! Only in Los Gatos is there a big concrete area for kids to scateboard - the (empty)dam over flow. Why do you need a park?

I am totally against using public funds for a skatepark to be used by a few skaters, and I do mean a few. (A hundred, maybe?) Why aren't we using it for a senior center? Calling the building on West Main a senior center doesn't make it one. It's only used once a week on Wednesdays for seniors. This is what is really needed. There are many seniors here, not just a few, and without a doubt, there will be many more through the years. (Two or three hundred show up for special events) Santa Clara City has a great center. Everyone will become a senior (hopefully). Why not build a senior center that everyone can use, and not a skatepark to be used by just a few, for a few years of their lives. If we had a senior center, I think hundreds more seniors would show up. NOT FAIR.

LG Resident -

Are you kidding me? There are more than a few skateboarders. How many seniors show up on Wednesday at the makeshift senior center, which I agree is bad?

It's funny that you are against using public funds for a skatepark for a few hundred people, but are okay with using it for a few hundred seniors. I guess the reality is that you are willing to spend public funds, but only if directly affects you.

By the way, Santa Clara does have a nice senior center. They also have a nice skatepark. (http://www.caliskatz.com/v4/skateparks/santa_clara_skatepark.asp)

It is extremely unlikely that there are "hundreds" of skateboarders in Los Gatos. According to Sunnyvale statistics, there are approximately 250-300 individual users of their park.

With a population of 130,000, that means the percentage of total skatepark users is .23. Note the decimal point. Point 23.

If we take that as an example with a population of 30,000 in Los Gatos, we have approximately 69 skatepark users in Los Gatos.

I would guess that there are more skatepark aged children in Sunnyvale per capita however I cannot find a reliable source to confirm this.

It is interesting to se that there are virtually no Yes or No on D signs remaining around the downtown area. Maybe this article gives a behavioral clue:

(http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2008/01/23/sports/1_skate_080123.txt)

First off, Sunnyvale is a much larger city than LG and the skate park is nowhere near many residents. The LG skatepark would be a safe bike ride from any part of town.

Driving through town today I saw No and Yes signs all over the place.

I seriously doubt you have ever been to Lodi. If you have spent some time there, as I have, you know that culturally there major differences between Lodi and Los Gatos. Also, nowhere in that article does it say that the vandalism was caused by skateboarders. It did, however, say that people broke-in after hours and BMX Bikes (not skateboards) caused the problems with the park.

Let's try and be a little more open minded and think about when we were young. I guess if the measure doesn't pass, all of the No folks will gladly give up their sidewalks and driveways to skateboard use. That would be a great way to help build strong relationships within the community.

Take a look at the attached link - I believe it shows what the No on D campaign has been going through with now over 110 signs stolen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsoz9IW2qXk

Vandalsim of signs and trespassing, what's next?

I love it!!! Great work. Do you get to see your neighbors changing their clothes as well????

All kidding aside, what a stupid move on behalf of the theives. They seemed to be old enough to know better. I'm glad the police caught them. I don't know that they should be tar and feathered, but maybe shook a little.

Dear Patti,

I value your input but how can someone write something without getting the full information from both sides and verifying facts. I see this over and over. Pretty scary that people write without verifying information. History has shown over and over the dangers of this.

First, this is not a not a luxury park. Our town council chose the most expensive architect and encouraged this portayal when they had the plans drawn up for reasons I never understood.

Now the plans they apporoved - they use against the park - just like they use the 50K against the park - also a very inaccurate portayal of the opporting cost. In summary - the other side has greatly twisted the facts, you have not checked the information and now write about it and jeopordize your good name. And I do say this nicely...)

Maintaining a park in good economic times is between 5 and 15K. Call around - or email us and we'll tell you who to call. In bad times - we have no grass or lights. We would have kids sign up for community serice to empty the garbage can. The kids can use a $7.00 broom to clear the leaves. All that is left is unlocking and locking the gates. Pleaase point out the huge expense of maintaining it. If the cement cracks we could have many dads helping to address the issue. The kids don't need the benches that the architect priced at an amount I couldn't believe - they just want to skate and not get chased by the police.

Cement parks need less maintenance then modular parks whose equipment ages and can become hazardous.

The committee has raised 300K. I have three data points showing a cement park can be built for $50 dollars a dquare foot. That is between $600,000 and $700,000 dollars. All that can be verified.

It is not state of the art. It is a standard skate park. A modular park is similar to a bunny slope for an intermediate skier.

It is for a sport that allows those not into competitive sports to enjoy at their own pace.

Just as a playground with grass is an asset to our community so will a skatepark be.

It is a fact that can be verified that there are more skaters then baseball players. The only difference is the parents aren't crowded around them cheering them on. Playground equipment if quite expensive as well. Again a verifible fact - but this was never questioned.

If we didn't have baseball leagues - the town would need to maintain the two baseball fields. Instead since baseball needs to maintain them at a high quality level - they choose to carry this additional cost.

I remember the baseball lots that were just for fun - they worked fine and the kids were happy.

If you want verifible information - write us at www.losgatosskatepark.com.

Get the information from both sides. There are way too many people making judgement without full information.

Given our fundraising efforts and price points plus low or alternative maintence methods this is the perfect project for these type of times.

I don't believe the councils plans to completely clear our our reserves as they are slowly working to convince the citizens to do is fiscally responsible. Building the skate park using the wealth of knowledge gained on reducing cost and maintenance is fiscally responsible AND resolves a problem that is wide spread throughout the town - kids skating where they shouldn't.

The motivations behind No on D will come out later. Just be forewarned - All I ask is that you understand the issue. The vote is about getting the park moving forward not about cost. We are talking about $400,000 more dollars after you deduct the 300K in cash and pledges. This does NOT count all the offers of labor we have recieved.

This could be turned into a barnraising / community effort. No on D doesn't want to see us join as a community - this works against their power. Be smarter then them.

Get the facts. Vote Yes on D.

Skatepark stats on direct benefit and usage: 25% of our population is made up of youth. This does not count those in their early to late 20's who skate. 16 percent of all youth will eventually skate. This is no small number. Then -> Indirect beneficiaries: Skaters have parents who benefit. Shopping district benefits, Neighbors benefit, schools benefit - the skaters are not bothering them, our kids are not running from the police and wasting police resources (cost cost cost cost... all carry a cost either actual dollars or nuisance cost.)

Add it up people - there is great benefit to a park and addresses a safety and nuisance issue.

The problem is that benefit is fragmented so it is not straight-forward to add up.

What happened to supporting healthy activity! This is a mainstream sport people. It is being considered for the Olympics. The world have move forward.

And yes senior activities are important ... but you said the senior center is only used once a week? Were are the seniors in senior center? I don't understand.

... but where will we put the sand bags in the winter? The sandbags that currently take up 4 of the approx. 7 spaces that will be lost. Gee I've never heard the Chamber complain about the sandbags and san that take up xmas parking? Hmmm.... I guess it is because ... there is always ample parking there.