Page 36 - Sonoma County Gazette Oct. 2019

UPDATE Forestville Downtown Park
By Michael Cuoio
This is the first in a 2-part series on your Forestville Downtown Oaks Park.
This article provides some background, and updates you on the park’s current design concept (see the drawing below). The next article will add more details, a pictorial rendering of the concept, and a forecast of timelines.
Have you noticed the new town signs?
First, some brief history. In 2013 the Forestville Planning Association (FPA), thanks to numerous gracious donors here in our community and
a grant from the Sonoma County Ag + Open Space District, was able to purchase 4 acres of land along Highway 116 in downtown Forestville. This parcel is protected as open space for the community, in perpetuity. That means it will always be a park, for our children and grandchildren and on and on! The park is designed to provide our town with leisure space, County trail access, and a gathering place for community events.
We have Dan Northern to thank for designing it, getting Brian Frazee of BCF Heritage to build it and DW Enterprises and Canyon Rock for getting it in the ground. The simple, but elegant redwood and stainless-steel structure was a long time in coming but worth the wait. Dan hopes to get solar lighting installed for an even more dramatic look at night. Appreciation to the County for helping to fund the sign and to the Chamber for supporting Dan’s efforts.
With town needs in mind, plus input from the community, a design concept was settled upon in 2015. Thus began the task of getting the plan approved
by the County’s and State’s planning and permit departments. However, after three years’ negotiating the lengthy permit processes, we quite unexpectedly were faced with a wetlands declaration in the park that made the plan unworkable.
Since then, we have redesigned the concept to ensure that any construction will stay out of the designated wetlands perimeter. Most exciting is that in June of this year, the County began the extension of their trail system through the park and established a trail head near Highway 116.
Their plans have also been affected by the wetlands declaration but they are on track to finish the trail connection this fall.
What you see in the drawing below is the current concept,
whose iterations have been previously introduced in Forestville Town Hall meetings (May 2018 and May 2019) and in a front-page Sonoma West article (Nov 2018). The concept includes an elongated central gathering space (think town holiday tree lighting ceremonies etc.), paved parking lot, restroom facility, and a stage with space for informal, natural amphitheater-type seating. There are still details to be worked out, but this plan respects the wetlands, sacrifices none of the oak trees, and provides the downtown a much- needed permanent restroom facility. And as with most plans of this nature, the implementation of these goals is predicated on a successful fund-raising campaign and community support.
In summary...the park concept has been revised to meet current constraints. We already have a great space for the community, and it will get even better. The park is to be enjoyed by all through community events, using the all-weather trail for walking, bicycle and equestrian access, and a place to relax and commune with nature right in the middle of our town. Stay tuned for further developments!
We welcome your participation in developing and maintaining this park. For further information, please go to www.95436.org
El Molino High School: While researching what I might add to this column from El Molino High School I came across a very entertaining and informative section on their website. I noticed they had their own You Tube Channel, so I clicked on one of their daily blogs, (most are about 4 minutes long.) The one I clicked on was from last spring. It was hysterical, informative and engaging. One student was letting other students know how to request songs for the prom. Awwwww.
Michael Cuoio is the current president of the Forestville Planning Association, whose board members are all volunteers serving Forestville with the goal of encouraging awareness, dialogue, and participation in matters of relevance and importance to our community. The FPA also serve as stewards of the downtown oaks park.
Other projects funded this year was; a donation to Project Graduation; a grant to the Forestville Fire Department to purchase two water-proof two way radios to help support them during water rescues; a contribution to Barbara Friedman at Cottage Massage to create two more 3’ by 4’ metal signs depicting historical Forestville (she has a great one outside Cottage Massage showing the railroad station); funds to help refurbish El Mo High School’s tennis courts; and money to rent the equipment and purchase decorations for our annual Holiday Tree at Forestville’s Downtown Park for the Holidays.
36-www.sonomacountygazette.com -10/19
Thanks to Robby Baba for putting together three versions from Economy to Deluxe ... or build your own. He has three tiers from Economy to Deluxe or go in and build your own. You can find what you need here in Forestville. Chances are you don’t need to leave Home at all!
Another reported on sports. Another read off the cafeteria menu. They were funny, serious, trying to be serious, some stone faced, some expressive. Watching these students perform, get experience in front of a camera and finding their confidence is one reason I love living in a small town! There was even a piece where a teacher was encouraging students to speak at graduation letting them know all ideas and perspectives were welcome. I really admire our high school. If you are reading this and have a student about to go to high school, El Mo has so much to offer. We are lucky.
October 26 Fall Festival: Apple on a string, bottle ring toss, Ducks in a Pond, Large Jenga, Pin the Face on the Pumpkin, Pumpkin can bowling, guess the weight of a pumpkin and the number of candy corns in a jar. When I read what’s up at the local Methodist Church’s’ Fall Festival, I knew again why
I love living in a small town. Doesn’t that sound like a ton of fun? They’ll have free popcorn and apple juice. Sit down with a piece of pumpkin pie and coffee. The Fall Festival is happening on Saturday, October 26 from 2-5 pm. They know how to gather community with their Movie Nights and Soul Café!
Forestville Planning Association Community Fund: Forestville Methodist Church’s Food Closet was given a grant from the Forestville Planning Association to help purchase perishables for their twice a month food give away for Forestville residents in need. In turn, volunteers from the Food Closet go around town and pick up trash those mornings the Food Closet is open. A wonderful win-win for the Food Closet and the town.
“Go Buckets” for Emergencies at Foresville’s Ideal Hardware: