Off Leash Dog Parks!

Dog Parks will soon be a reality. East and west side will each see large and small breed off-leash dog exercise areas, at Massarri and Hillside Parks. Read more...

Expanded Pool Hours Coming?

In my recent discussions with City Manager Steve Williams and Park and Recs Director Russ Bird, I have conveyed my desire to accomodate the many requests of families to see our pools and Water Park hours expanded, especially for evening use.

In response, Friday and Saturday evenings may soon be a reality at our water park, accomodating the many commuting families desire to use the facility in cooler evening hours. Pool hours may soon expand as well.

Palmdale's Parks a Point of Citywide Pride
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Sunday, June 17, 2007.

Palmdale's park additions, expansions and improvements should bring commendations to city officials, but mostly to Palmdale property owners. Included in the $252 million 2007-08 municipal budget, approved this month by the City Council, are a $9.1 million recreation center at Marie Kerr Park, the $3.2 million Sam Yellen Park near 52nd Street East and Avenue S, a $2 million cover to make the Palmdale Oasis Park pool usable year round and a $890,000 six-lane water slide at the year-old DryTown Water Park.

Another $1 million will be spent developing a small downtown park near the Courson Senior Center, and $80,000 will be spent constructing dog areas at Domenic Massari Park and Hillside Park.

Enabling this burst of construction is a special assessment tax approved in 2002 by property owners 6,309 to 4,026. By the vote, homeowners agreed to tax themselves $36 a year to build two regional parks: the Palmdale Oasis Park, with the DryTown Water Park, on Avenue S at 37th Street East, and an expanded Marie Kerr Park with an amphitheater on Rancho Vista Boulevard near 30th Street West. The new park tax provided a boost to jump start park construction, beyond what was possible with usual city revenues while covering other municipal expenses.

What Palmdale residents are getting for the assessment, which is supplemented by other revenue, is certainly worth it. The water park has started its second summer. Last summer, admission fees amounted to $1.5 million, almost covering the $1.8 million operating cost. As they should be, admission fees are structured so that Palmdale residents pay less.

In addition, the park provided summer employment for numerous Antelope Valley young people. Marie Kerr Park's amphitheater has hosted numerous outdoor concerts, both municipal and privately sponsored, and other events including Antelope Valley College graduation ceremonies.

The future features should bring the city's parks more patronage. The future Marie Kerr Park recreation center will undoubtedly be well used for basketball leagues and other programs. The cover for the Palmdale Oasis Park swimming pool means the people who paid for it can use it year-round, and it is to be followed by a similar cover over the Marie Kerr Park pool. The new Sam Yellen Park will be another amenity for east Palmdale residents. The downtown park will complement new senior-citizen apartments that are under construction as part of a renovation effort that bulldozed small, aging houses, duplexes and apartments. And the dog parks are likely to be as popular as Lancaster's dog-park area at its Forrest Hull Park.

The city and its property owners should be proud of what they have accomplished, and what they are planning for the future.

Personal Observations On Summer 2006 Opening of New Facilities

It was wonderful to participate in the grand opening of our new west side pool at Marie Kerr Park, just behind the opening of the Dry Town Water Park on the east side. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were opening the Palmdale Amphitheater. The community's Park Vision Program is truly coming together. With voter approved support, our city is the envy of many with these outstanding amenities. Over the next couple years, the new pools will be covered, the new rec center will be built at Marie Kerr, and a branch Library will be constructed at Oasis Park.

I can't say enough about the efforts of Park Committee founders Raul Figueora and Marsh Furham towards the realization of these projects. At the grand opening, I renewed my belief that we need a permanent volunteer Parks, Recs and Arts Committee, with represerntation of all our local stakeholders, and lead by an appointed Parks Recs and Arts Commssion, to help guide us into the future.

I was recently treated to a preview of the architect's plan for the pools' covers. Exquisite is an understatement. The Marie Kerr pool building will follow the nautical theme already inplace, resembling an old boathouse. The Oasis Park pool building will mimic the stye of the old west buildings of adjacent Dry Town Water Park. The covers will be a welcome addition, allowing year round swimming lessons, and relieveing the summer class pressure to allow additional open swim time for the public.

The opening of the Best Of The West Softball Complex will attract women's softball tournements, and with any luck, be the new home for our own District 51 Little League and Big League Softball Playoffs and Championships.

Major pro softball promoters are lining up to book space at these top rated softball diaminds as well.

Our Amphitheater was recently rated as on of the best in the US by a major venue and promotions rating service. In addtion to the City of Palmdale's free Summer Concert Series (check the city website), expect more exciting acts coming to the Amphiteater from Clear Channel and other promoters.

More Related Press

Marie Kerr pool now open; Oasis pool next
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Sunday, June 18, 2006.
By MARISSA WIDDISON Valley Press Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Families and city officials made a splash Saturday at Marie Kerr Park, as they cut a ribbon and cooled off at the Antelope Valley's newest community pool. The grand opening ceremony took place under a white tent facing the shimmering 350,000 gallons of water. Children slathered in sunscreen and clad in swimming suits played on inflatable water toys as they waited for the gates to open.

"I'm excited about going into the deep end," said Brandy Betz, 12, as she stood next to her mother, Deborah, and older sister, Sarah Randall, 14. The Betz family was in the pool by the end of the afternoon, enjoying what city representatives described as 11 lanes of paradise.

The pool measures 25 meters by 25 yards and comes with locker rooms, indoor and outdoor showers and more than 20 pool employees. Russ Bird, director of Parks and Recreation for Palmdale, pointed out that it is the first pool to come to the west side of the city.

Council member Steve Hofbauer thanked residents for "checking the 'yes' box" to vote for the bond measure that paid for the new facility. (Hofbauer was a Planning Commisioner when Park Vision Projects were reveiewed, and is an outspoken supporter of parkland acquisition, trail development and preservation of open space.)

"I was like an expecting mother waiting for this pool," said parks committee member Marsha Furman, who has been a pool advocate in the Valley for years. Officials joked Saturday that Furman's nagging has finally paid off. "It's a dream come true," Furman said as she watched the first batch of excited children and adults enter the water. She ticked off a list of benefits: more swimming lessons for children, a place for the high schoolers to practice, more jobs.

But residents present Saturday didn't need convincing. Jeff Gilstrap, 17, walks to Courson Pool every day to take a dip. It's good exercise, he said. His mother, Linda, said the family has lived in the Valley for 14 years and is excited about all of the Parks and Rec improvements. "Especially with my two boys, it gives them a great way to spend the summer," she said. Officials were quick to thank families like Gilstrap and Betz - it was the public who approved the bond measure in 2002 that brought $31.4 million to the budget for projects like these. The pool is part of the $41.2 million "Vision for the Future" parks project that was funded in part by a property tax assessment passed by Palmdale residents. Additional funds for the project came from city development impact fees, state grants and park district assessments.

"This will help bring definition to what Marie Kerr Park is to our west side," said Mayor Jim Ledford. He said the next step is working toward getting a cover for the pool. Plans for the park's future also include a recreation center. The pool is at Marie Kerr Park, 2723 West Rancho Vista Blvd. (Ave. P) in Palmdale.

On Monday, a duplicate pool will open in East Palmdale to visitors of DryTown Water Park, 3850 East Ave. S. Patrons who have paid to get into DryTown will have free access to the Palmdale Oasis pool from 1 to 5:30 p.m. each day.

Other pools are at McAdam Park, 38115 30th St. East, and Courson Park, 38226 10th St. East. From June 12 to Sept. 4, open swimming will be allowed at no cost at Courson, McAdam and Marie Kerr pools between the hours of 2:30 and 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 1 and 5:15 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Senior citizens will have the Courson pool to themselves at no cost from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Families as groups will be able to use the Marie Kerr and McAdam pools at no cost from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Details on swimming programs are listed in the city's Activity Guide, which can be viewed on the city's Internet site, www.cityofpalmdale.org, or picked up in paper form at the parks and recreation office between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The office closes at 4:30 p.m. Fridays. For details, call 267-5611.