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The Parks and Recreation Commission has approved a bid to rename the Pleasanton Sports and Recreation Community Park for the late Mayor Ken Mercer.
If the commission’s recommendation is approved by the City Council at a July meeting, the park’s new name will be “Ken Mercer Sports Park.”
Most speakers at the commission’s meeting last Thursday favored the name change with commission members voting 4-1 to approve the change.
In addition, the commission voted unanimously to approved the Rotary Club of Pleasanton’s request to rename Main Street Garden to Rotary Park in celebration of the club’s 50th anniversary.
The City Council will consider both measures in July.
Other matters considered by the commission last Thursday included:
* Selection of a site for the future location of an off-leash dog park
The commission selected the west side of the Marilyn Murphy Kane Trail as the site for the future location of an off-leash dog park.
This site is most desirable, but parking and wildlife may be an issue.
The staff will forward the location choice to the City Council for consideration; and if approved, staff will start securing architectural design services, addressing anticipated issues along with operational issues and funding for design services.
* Review and approve the Old Vineyard Avenue Pedestrian Trail, Phase 3
The final phase of the Old Vineyard Avenue Pedestrian Trail, Phase 3, was presented to the commission and public.
Phase 3 of the trail will be from Machado Court eastward to the Ruby Hill trail head.
Many residents of the neighborhood said they are against the last phase because it would increase traffic on Safreno Way, creating a safety issue. Parking for the trail was also a concern to some residents. Lastly, many residents stated they didn’t believe the 300-foot horse trail would be used.
The commission agreed with the residents about parking and safety issues, and advised the staff to look into other options for Phase 3.
* Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Master Plan
The commission approved the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which will provide a framework for directing city resources toward parks, facilities and programs, and address future community recreation needs over the next 10 years.
This proposal will be presented to the City Council next month.
Bad idea!!
This is a fantastic and appropriate way to honor one of the men most responsible for making our city such a wonderful place to call “home.” And due in large part to the policies and income streams put into place under Ken’s leadership, the City can certainly afford it!
What team did he play for?
I’ve said it before.
Many of us residents of this town would have a problem naming something after a person who promoted a union-backed parcel tax to steal out money for over-paid union teacher.
If all the kids who play ball at Mercer Park (and their parents for that matter) take a bit of Ken Mercer’s spirit with them when they leave, Pleasanton and the rest of the world will be a better place for it.
I certainly was not politically aligned with Ken Mercer however regardless of that I recognized him as a tireless worker for all things Pleasanton. But when it comes to remembering this hard work by naming the sports park in his memory I have to disagree. Although Ken represented us all he was at times very controversial and is in my opinion underserving of this recognition. I believe we need to keep things like naming public use sites very generic and not related to recent political figures. It just plain alienates (sp?) way to many of us.
Jack – Just like Ken and following in his footsteps pushing an unpopular agenda in favor of “special interests”!! Well said Old Guy.
Ahhh, it’s good to think back on the times when Ken Mercer was Mayor. Good things got done. Then we got a series of left-wing-loon nitwits as Mayor and Council members, and things have gone to hell. That’s usually what happens when left-wing-loons get elected. The peak of looniness and dysfunction was during the tenure of The Hippy Mayor.
Agree withh old guy. For fourteen years I was a coach, referee, umpire, and director for the girls softball and soccer clubs. I know of a lot of the legends associated with the park and know a number of people that have brought national acclaim to the City of Pleasanton via the Sports Park tournaments, but one name I have never heard spoken is that of Ken Mercer’s. Ken may be legend to a small segment of influencial people in the city but as far as naming a city icon after him is a little bit too much. If Ken means so much to the Park and Rec commission then put his name on the memorial plaque that is located in the park. After 5 years, if you want to name the park after him than so be it. The 5 year wait period is a city bylaw. It is there for a reason. At least one thing is in Ken’s favor. He was smart enough not to rezone the BLM land for development. If it was up to the former and present city council and mayors, we would be looking at 2800 apartments instead of a recreational site.
Brian Chinn might have been a more appropriate choice.
I would rather they be named for non-political figures.
I would like to have it named after somebody with some serious DEEP-POCKETs
I disagree with almost all of you. All you young folks don’t realize how much Ken did for Pleasanton, and for you to be saying that he didn’t do enough and that you know people who are important to the softball teams. NO! Without Ken Mercer there might not even be a sports park. So I think renaming of the sports park is the least we can do to show our thanks to a very important man. And whoever is “support he old guy” I don’t think you should be saying that he sports park should have been 2800 apartments, because you have most likely been to the sports park, your just another jealous citizen.
@ the mean girl – did you even read my comments? I was thanking Ken for his vision of a sports park rather than building 2800 apartments like our present mayor, the hippie mayor, and all the council persons during their tenure would have done given a chance. I also wrote that naming the sports park after Ken would be appropriate after a 5 year waiting period. This is a city bylaw, specifically Resolution No. 04-019. It states:
“Names for all parks or recreation facilities should provide easy, recognizable reference for City residents and visitors.
Requests to name any park, recreation facility, or other City-owned public facility after a specific individual will be considered “NO EARLIER” than five years after the individual’s death. “
Why make laws if you are not going to abide by them?
Personally – I feel that naming a the sports park after Ken would cheapen the memory of the names that have been placed on the sports park memorial plague. Just because these people were not in the political limelight does not mean that their contributions to this city were less than that of Ken’s.
Would the council be changing the city law that requires a 5-year waiting period, and then voting on the park name? Or is the council just saying the laws do not apply to them?
The ordinance does not have an exception clause.
5 years will be here before we know it. I say we should wait the five years and keep the ordinance in force. Perhaps the commission feels that something about Ken will come up shortly so they want the park named after him post haste? Would hope that is not the case but their desire to bend the rules for somebody they liked does not look good.
I would also think that with a city facility that is that large that the community should be asked for suggestions of naming it instead of just a yes/no on a single person. Based on Ken’s contributions, it would be more fitting to name the Hacienda Business Park after him as that was something that he had a passion for.
I vote Yes for naming the park ater such a great man! He did so much for Pleasanton. What if it were your family member they were renaming it after…. Would that be a different story?
As for the 5 year law… Stupid!
And I am sure there are a lot more good positive outstanding people in pleasanton who would vote Yes on the name change.
Ken Mercer=good values & good peopleâ¤ï¸
The 5 year wait was put there on purpose.
While I have an issue with the process, personally I would prefer this park to be called the Ben Tarver Sports Park. While Mercer and his administration were approving things left and right, Tarver was elected to allow the public a say in how the city is developed and required all new developments to put in the necessary infrastructure and not just leave it to the current residents to solve. Tarver is credited with the slow growth in Pleasanton, our urban growth boundaries, and stopped development on the Pleasanton ridge.
But perhaps the Bernal Property Park should be named after Tarver as he is the one who negotiated the number of houses on that property from 3300 homes down to about 500. We definitely would not have a park at Bernal without Tarver. But I can wait until Jan 2015 as that will be the 5 year anniversary of his untimely death.
Some of you on this thread don’t understand. We are not proposing to rebuild the park! We simply want to rename the park!
A very small percentage of all this water-fine money the city is going to collect should handle it quite nicely…
Who is paying for all the changes in signage, etc to allow a few grandstanders to seem magnanimous by renaming the Pleasanton Sports Park? Let me guess….the taxpayers of this city.
Jack will be writing checks to cover this feel-good renaming plan. Jack, when are you running for local office? Will this be listed as one of your (our) accomplishments?
How about using this money to pay down some our our bloated pension liability?
Let the good times roll, eh jack?
So, it’s settled; Ann Lovell will pay to have for all the signage and maps changed to Ben Tarvers name after he’s been gone for 5 years.
Thers always someone worthy of recognition. The question remains, who is paying for it and how does it fit into our existing list of priorities.