East Bay park district agrees to take another look at keeping Shadow Cliffs waterslides open Comments on Stories, posted by Editor, Pleasanton Weekly Online, on Mar 22, 2012 at 1:18 pm
The waterslides at Shadow Cliffs park will be closed this summer but the park district is taking another look at their feasibility before shutting them permanently and returning the site to its natural condition.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, March 22, 2012, 7:37 AM
Posted by Kerri, a resident of the Vineyard Avenue neighborhood, on Mar 22, 2012 at 1:18 pm
I really hope they can find a way to save the waterslides. Our kids need activities to do in the summer months, especially our middle and high schoolers. They need fun things to do with thei friends to keep them out of trouble. Get the kids out of the house and out from behind computers and video games.
Posted by Curious, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Mar 22, 2012 at 2:42 pm
So EBRPD wants to return the land the slides are on to its "natural condition". What is its natural condition? Are they proposing to return it to a gravel quarry? The land there is rocky scrub with a few native plants and many non-native plants.
Closing the slides would be a shortsighted mistake. The slides serve over 25,000 visitors a year plus employ local teens and generate tax revenue for the city. Plus, there is the halo effect of those visitors spending dollars at nearby restaurants, gas stations, etc.
Posted by Julie, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Mar 23, 2012 at 8:12 am
East Bay Regional recommended closing down the slides at a cost of $100,000 to dismantle them. They have no funding for at least 10 years for any park improvement to repair the area, so the park would be left with a big mud hole. And the community would be left without the slides.
The owner of the slides who built and has operated them for thirty years (at NO cost to the taxpayer), wants to renovate and continue to operate them (at NO cost to the taxpayer), but EBRPD will not extend or renew his lease.
The report and recommendation is heavy handed and exaggerated (cost in the report was 12mil, was reduced to 6mil, owner says $300K) and they will not let the operator of thirty years walk onto the site to respond to the report. A political decision has been made to eliminate the slides but there is NO benefit to the community and there is a loss of a treasured amenity.
The Water Slides are the best deal going for taxpayers, and a fun and affordable amenity for our kids and families. Speak up or the slides will be lost! April 16th Pleasanton Parks and Rec meeting is scheduled as a public meeting on the topic.
Posted by Chuck Bierdeman, a resident of the Vintage Hills Elementary School neighborhood, on Mar 23, 2012 at 1:47 pm Chuck Bierdeman is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com
Thanks, Julie, for the meeting info. Do you know when (time) and where by chnace? If not, I can go through the Pleasanton website and try to find it.
Posted by Kurt Kummer, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Mar 23, 2012 at 6:36 pm
The next Parks and Rec meeting is scheduled for Monday 4/16/2012 at 7:00 pm, and it'll be held at City Hall. No word yet if East Bay Reg. Parks Dept. will be able to attend.
Posted by Chuck Bierdeman, a resident of the Vintage Hills Elementary School neighborhood, on Apr 7, 2012 at 8:12 am Chuck Bierdeman is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com
The Tri Valley, East Bay, and others are showing their support - 216 supporters have signed our on-line petition at:
www.saveshadowcliffswaterslides.com
Keep sending out the word, we have 9 days before the April 16 meeting to get as many supporters as we can! 75% of you have added passionate comments in favor of keeping these slides open. This kind of personal feedback is invaluable and will make a strong impact on those in a decision making position.