Come to the party Come to the party (May 14, 2004)

Tomorrow's event celebrates Bernal parkland
by Jeb Bing

Put on your walking shoes and come to the Bernal Block Party tomorrow for what promises to be the biggest community celebration since Pleasanton's Centennial 10 years ago.

With exhibits, musical performances, activities, demonstrations, food booths and a temporary BMX track, the free event will offer Pleasanton residents their first chance to see up close the city's 318 acres of public lands, acquired two years ago as part of a development deal with Greenbriar Homes when it bought the site from its long-time owner, the city of San Francisco.

Since then, in task force discussions, planning meetings and town hall debates, those with special interests in the Bernal property have focused on a wide range of proposals, ranging from sports fields to a small high school to a performing arts center and a youth center. Concerned that too many buildings and athletic fields would crowd them out of a chance to develop the Bernal property as a Golden Gate Park-like preserve, several members of the City Council succeeded in calling a halt to the planning process and voted, instead, to ask outside designers to come up with plans.

Last Monday, as part of a design competition that could ultimately lead to a lucrative development contract with the city, 25 land use architects from the U.S. and five foreign countries submitted plans. These will be shown for the first time tomorrow, where the public will be asked to comment and submit their own views for developing the Bernal property.

The Block Party, planned to resemble on a citywide scale Pleasanton's popular neighborhood block party activities, was the brainchild of long-time civic activist Rudy Johnson, who is co-chair of the Block Party event. Hiking to the top of the Ridgeland and looking down on the city's newly acquired open space, he was concerned by the interest in using what's long been known as Pleasanton's "Field of Dreams" for more structures and sports fields. He won the council's support of a plan to hold a public event on the site and, at the same time, solicit views on how residents would like to see the Bernal property developed.

Tomorrow, the public will have a chance to see and hear from proponents of lighted athletic fields, garden pathways, trails, parkland and grazing areas for raising animals. All of these plans were given to the outside design firms whose suggestions will be shown in a Power Point presentation on large screens at the city's booth midway into the Block Party site. Nearby will be a booth operated by the Sports Council, which will show plans for baseball and soccer fields. Naturalist Marilyn Kane will offer views of how the land could be turned into Pleasanton's own Golden Gate or Lithia-like park, with trails, gardens and ponds.

The city's Youth Commission will host a booth calling for a Teen Center to be built on the property, and food and refreshment booths along the way will contribute to the youth center building fund. Other groups, such as the Civic Arts Commission and privately funded Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council will call for public support of an Art Center and a performing arts theater with studios for arts, music and crafts.

Mayor Tom Pico will kick off the Block Party at 11 a.m. at the Main Stage, which will be located at the end of Valley Avenue at Laguna Creek Road. That intersection is about a quarter-mile into the public site from the end of the KB home development at Valley and Oak Vista Way, where Block Party volunteers will have an information booth. Although handicapped parking will be allowed at designated points at that location and motorists can drop off passengers there, the only public parking will be free of charge through Gate 8 into the Fairgrounds. Black Tie Transportation will provide free shuttle service between the Block Party entrance and the Fairgrounds from 10:30 a.m. until after 4 p.m., when the party ends.

The event will be split into four sections: Village, Agricultural History, Youth, and Nature, with music provided on the Village Stage near the entrance, the Main Stage and the Youth Stage. Among the bands performing without charge during the day are the Tri-Valley Youth Orchestra, Amador Valley High School jazz bands, Valley Concert Chorale, Georgi and the Rough Week, and Cantera. Nine so-called garage bands will perform on the Youth Stage starting at 11:15 a.m. with light rock by Seque, and ending at 3:15 p.m. with Indie/Alternative by the Audrye Sessions.

Don Lewis and Ed Kinney will handle announcements and program tips throughout the day from the main stage. Events, activities, presentations and special features in each of the four specific areas are as follows:
Village Area

Quantise McCannon, a Community Services officer in the Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit, will be at the police booth at the main entrance to offer bicycle and other safety tips, including free bike registrations, DARE literature, and safety educational coloring books and children's giveaways. Police will also sell bicycle helmets for $10 for those planning to ride on the BMX track, where helmets will be required.

McCannon said officers also will provide information on the department's Neighborhood Watch program and its R-U-OK program for seniors.

In addition, police will help with traffic and pedestrian control at Valley and Bernal, and will supervise the BMX track.

The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department will have its fire and life safety training trailer at its booth near the entrance, along with a fire engine and crew and possibly an antique fire truck. A highlight of the department's exhibit, according to Chief Stewart Gary, will be a display board showing the new fire station to be built later this year on Bernal across from the Fairgrounds east of Valley.

Also in the Village area will be booths staffed by members of the Chamber of Commerce, Tri-Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sports Council, Cultural Arts Council and the Civic Arts Commission.

The city of Pleasanton will staff three booths in the Village area. Historian Andrew Galvin will offer presentations on the Native Americans who once lived on the Bernal site; consultants will talk about the topography of the land and its underground water aquifers; and the city's Principal Planner Wayne Rasmussen will show historical photographs of the Bernal property and talk about task force and other proposals for developing the land. He will also work with others to show concepts submitted by the 25 design firms that are competing in the design competition and will survey the Block Party participants on their views over both the plans and what they would like to see placed on the public land.
Agricultural History Area

Rachel Onojafe, president of the Abbie 4-H Club, will lead her group in showing sheep and other large and small animals at the club's booth and demonstration site on Laguna Creek Way west of the Main Stage. The club's adult leader, City Councilman Steve Brozosky, will talk about the agricultural history of the Bernal property, including the hops that were grown there for making beer. The club also will help youngsters plant flower and vegetable seedlings that they can take home.
Youth Area

A highlight of the Youth Area will be the temporary BMX track that has been bulldozed into shape for a one-day use tomorrow. It is a prototype of the BMX course that the city will build and operate later this year on Stanley Boulevard east of Bernal. Although the Bernal Block Party track will be open free of charge, riders must have their own BMX bike and a helmet. Those under 18 also will be required to have a use waiver signed by a parent or guardian. These waivers have been distributed to schools, and are available on the city-maintained youth Web site: ptown411.com. Once on the site, click on "What's New", scroll down to the end of the Bernal Block Party announcement, then download the "BMX Participant Packet."

Across Laguna Creek Way, the city's Youth Commission and members of the Youth Master Plan Implementation Committee also will staff a booth to talk about youth activities in Pleasanton. Nearby, ValleyCare Health System will offer a fitness workout for youths 5 to 14, as well as provide information on the importance of youth fitness.

Also located in the Youth Area will be a 20-foot-high inflatable slide and a rock climbing wall, as well as an ice cream stand where proceeds will be donated to a Pleasanton youth center building fund.
Nature Area

Members of the Pleasanton Garden Club and others, including park preservation activist Marilyn Kane, will lead groups on trail hikes along Laguna Creek Way under I-680 and into wilderness areas west of the freeway near Castlewood.

An Amador Valley High School ecology class will also staff an exhibit center showing water restoration and retention areas that are home to several native species and birds.

Those who are serving on the Bernal Block Party Committee who have planned tomorrow's event are, in addition to Brozosky, Johnson and Kane, co-chair Kurt Kummer, Kay Ayala, Kris Weaver, Cindy McGovern, Anne Childs, Les Duman, Trizia Hill, Drew Kutlik, Kimiko Leong, Julie and Don Lewis, Jerry Pentin, Amie Petersen and Janet Vader.

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