April 15, 2004

AYA Sports Fields “alive and well”

By Kymberli W. Brady and Sheila Sanchez
Staff Writers

After months of silence, the Almaden Youth Association [AYA] has resurfaced with a revised timeline for the much anticipated and hotly debated sports field complex on McKean Road.

“The AYA is alive and well,” says Treasurer Dan Kennedy. “It's time for everyone to start getting excited.”

More than a decade in the works, those dedicated to the project are beginning to see the light at the end of a long tunnel filled with varying levels of patience and commitment.

“It has taken a lot of work from all of us in many different ways to keep it active,” Kennedy explains. “It's like a sleeping giant. People haven't heard much about it. Now we are able to come back to the community and start giving them reports on where we're at in the process. Things are really starting to fire up and now we need their support.”

According to Kennedy, much of the work has been happening behind the scenes. These include bi-weekly meetings at City Hall with Vice Mayor Pat Dando, the City Manager's office, the director of Planning, the City Attorney's office, the Public Works Department, the Parks and Recreation Department and representatives from RBF Consulting firm. The progress of the revised Environmental Impact Report [EIR], along with possible solutions to issues of concern is meeting with growing enthusiasm.

“The bi-weekly meetings are very helpful,” admits Kennedy. “It's really coming together and Pat has really rallied the troops on this one. It hasn't been visible to the community, but things are really clicking.”

The revised EIR is expected to be more detailed with regard to all the concerns addressed after the first report was issued. The consultants continue to gather the necessary studies and required reports, along with supplements that discuss various other mitigating factors, including water, traffic and safety.

“Water is the biggest issue we're tackling,” admits Kennedy. “One solution would be artificial turf. We're hearing a lot about that.”

Second only to water concerns remains concerns with regard to traffic and safety. Kennedy says the city has just received the traffic report and is in the process of evaluating it.

Community concerns still strong
At the Almaden Valley Community Association meeting Monday night, President Bob Boydston said while the AVCA has officially supported the development of the complex, it is concerned about the inadequate water supply and the volume of traffic the complex will generate on McKean Road.

Although the proposed property lies on county land, some residents complain that the county has turned the issue over to Dando.

Carol Hallett remains concerned about the water table and the effect it might have on her well. “I've seen wells go dry in my neighborhood,” she warned. “I don't know how the aquifer underground is structured. If, in fact, this goes through and all our wells are affected, then our livelihoods will be affected because we don't have city water. Who will be liable for that? Will it be the City Council? Will it be the complex? Will it be the school district? Who will be accountable to make my land valuable again? My land will be worthless, and I can't live on it without water.”

Bob Hughes, who lives on McKean, agreed, sighting further impacts to traffic, congestion and noise, as well as water if the complex were approved. “It's a bad deal,” he said.

“Clearly water and traffic are two issues that need to be resolved,” said AYA President Dan Smyth, adding that the new EIR will resolve those issues favorably. “The whole idea of the environmental report is to address each of these issues more in-depth. I know there are all kinds of tests being done,” he added. “Clearly it would not serve anybody's purpose to dry out the wells for five miles around.”

Boydston said the association will wait for the revised environmental report to be completed to comment on the issue.

Smyth also denied reports that the land where the 35-acre complex will be developed used to be two soccer fields. “It's not true,” he stressed. “In fact many years ago they were using all 77 acres, which consisted of volleyball courts, basketball courts, four different baseball fields and numerous other things. It's been scaled down.”

Homeowner Hallett stressed the importance of safety issues involving children, but admitted those concerns were eased when AYA parents agreed to sign release forms for children traveling from their homes to the facility. “But,” she asked, “What about the kids that live in Almaden who want to play on those fields? How do we protect those children?”

“If they're actually going to do a sports complex, then it has to be done properly. And if we have to add another road to get to it, then we need to add bike paths, we need to make sure it's planned properly so nobody gets hurt—the children, the environment, the land,” she added.

Dando spokeswoman Denelle Fedor reiterated that there aren't enough open spaces for children to play in the city. “We need larger fields to match our current population, and we're moving slowly to look at every concern that's been raised,” she said. “When the environmental report comes back, we're positive that it will be solidified with the goal of construction beginning next year. We need a place for kids to play.”

During his reign as president of a soccer league five years ago, Smyth began working on the fields after a season riddled with teams that refused to play in Almaden because the fields were overused and in bad condition. “We had referees stepping on gopher holes, breaking their legs and breaking their ankles,” he reminded. “We had kids hurting themselves on the fields.”

When Smyth said he approached the school district to improve the fields, he wasn't allowed to fix them because of union requirements. “It's really the overuse and the overall quantity of fields in the Almaden area in general that has prompted most of this effort,” said Smyth. “From a league administrator point of view, we have teams leaving Almaden. We have kids playing in Los Gatos—playing in Central Valley where they can find field space.”

Looking forward
Despite concerns, which she says will be mitigated, Dando continues to stay committed to the project, including the allocation of future funding in an effort to ensure that it stays on track. She credits the commitment of time and energy by members of the AYA with the impending success and hopes to see construction start next spring—with children playing on the fields the following season.

“We are all very impressed with Vice Mayor Pat Dando,” admits Kennedy. “She has truly committed her personal and professional time to this project. Even through some tough times, her perseverance has been a model to emulate.”

“We're making great progress with the continued support of the AYA,” she says. “The members of that organization have committed a great deal of time and energy to work with the city to make sure our children have sports fields. I think they are going to be successful.”

The new timeline involves the release of water reports by the end of May, followed with the revised EIR in July. The project will then proceed back to the Planning Commission in November and go to the City Council for approval by December. If all goes as planned, the design and review is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2005, with ground breaking shortly afterwards.

“The extended AYA team consists of moms and dads, coaches, children, league administrators and numerous at-large community members who are committed now, more than ever, to see this project through,” says Smyth. “As those active in sports, we know that sometimes the most critical time for follow through and winning is at the end of the game. We are on the home stretch.”

“What's remarkable about the AYA is that they are a group of volunteer parents who are putting in an immense amount of time to make sure this happens for their children,” adds Dando. “People don't realize how much time and energy this takes. They're doing it full time for the love of their children—some have stayed even though their children have moved on in the hopes that it will be there for generations to come.”

A public meeting is also in the planning stages, one that Kennedy says will be held within the next couple of weeks. Although details will be announced soon, the meeting is expected to take place at the Santa Clara Water District on Almaden Expressway.

Fundraising season kicks off
In order to aid the continuing effort to raise funds as well as awareness, the AYA will hold their second annual golf tournament at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club May 21. A ladies' Bunco game is also planned, with the hopes of raising over $40,000 — money they say will bring them closer to opening day.

For more information on the AYA Golf Tournament and Bunco game on May 21, contact Jeff Pine at (408) 974-6884.