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.