Park trail a little more concrete
Deirdre Newman
The city is a step closer to paving a slice of paradise and putting
in a concrete trail to provide more access to Fairview Park.
On Wednesday, the Parks and Recreation Commission gave its stamp
of approval to a conceptual plan for a multipurpose trail.
The trail will be 8 feet wide with a 4-foot wide decomposed
granite trail next to it for hikers. The concrete portion is geared
toward walkers, roller-bladers and others who don’t feel comfortable
navigating the granite and dirt trails in the park.
But some residents questioned the commissions’ acceptance of the
use of concrete.
“I’m surprised that they were considering cementing in those
roads,” Judith Gielow said. “I thought the City Council had made a
big point about not using any cement.”
The trail would run by the trains, down to where the botanical
garden was supposed to be, cross Placentia Avenue with a pedestrian
bridge, then wind back up the hill, cross Placentia again and form a
closed loop.
The city is under a deadline to complete the trail by the end of
June because it is being funded by a $234,000 grant from the Orange
County Transportation Authority.
The authority is also funding the pedestrian bridge, but those
funds won’t be available until July, said Bill Morris, public
services director.
Supporters of the burrowing owl that calls Fairview Park home said
the multipurpose trail is acceptable as long as two artificial
burrows will be created in the vicinity of the existing burrows, said
David Moskovitz, a biologist with Glenn Lukos Assn.
One resident, Robert Graham, spoke in favor of the concrete trail.
“It’s a great start,” Graham said. “I think concrete is a good
idea. It’s the first step of many steps in providing access to the
park.”
Commissioners said the concrete trail is necessary to open the
park to all Costa Mesa residents.
“A lot of people aren’t into sports, so their exercise is walking,
skating or pushing a stroller and this would give those people, who
are taxpayers, access to this park,” Commissioner Wendy Leece said.
“We’re not talking about ruining the environment.”
The plan for the trail will now go to the City Council for review.
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