OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Park, Recreation and Open Space Commission Regular Meeting - February 2, 2026

City Council — Monday, February 2, 2026
BodyWalnut Creek, California
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, February 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:28:39
Transcript — Verbatim
0:13

Good evening.

0:15

I'm Jason Cook and welcome to the Monday, February 2nd, 2026 regular meeting of the Walnut Creek Park Wreck and Open Space Commission.

0:27

Start with uh roll calls.

0:29

Secretary Vickers, would you please call roll?

0:33

Yes.

0:34

Commissioner Sasser.

0:36

Here.

0:36

Commissioner Oler.

0:37

Commissioner Garland.

0:39

Here.

0:40

Vice Chair Pinkstaff.

0:41

Here.

0:42

Chair Cook.

0:43

Here.

0:44

And let the record show that uh Commissioner Conson is not but uh present tonight.

0:51

Next on the agenda is public communication.

0:53

This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items not on the agenda.

0:58

Under the Brown Act, the Commission cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed.

1:07

Request clarification or refer the item to staff.

1:11

Written comments submitted have posted to the city's website for public review and are included in the meeting record, but will not but will be will not be separately read into the record.

1:23

So this is a portion for items public comment not on the agenda.

1:28

We have a busy schedule tonight.

1:30

So is there anybody who has uh not on the agenda?

1:33

Yes, sir.

1:34

Come up and chat, two minutes.

1:37

Two minutes.

1:39

Uh hey there, folks.

1:40

Uh my name is Jared King, born and raised here in Walnut Creek, lived here my entire life.

1:44

Um, and I am here to uh voice a desire, and I think there's a need for this.

1:49

Um, a mountain bike pilot project in Lime Ridge.

1:52

Uh, most of you guys are probably aware that we tried to get a trail built in 2021, didn't really go well, but there is a large group of kids that ride and race in this area and that utilize Lime Ridge as a training ground, and the trails that they legally can ride do not necessarily serve what they need them to be.

2:10

Um, and I think Lime Ridge would be a great solution for a pilot project.

2:14

Um I would urge all of you guys to look into the success of the Briones pilot project that was been running for the last two years in Brioney's uh East Bay Regional Park District.

2:24

Um I was largely a part of getting that up and running, and I would love to help you guys get a pilot project up and running here in Walnut Creek because I think it's desperately needed.

2:33

Um I brought in a bunch of Contra Costa composite riders, these are all of our kids that race here in the area.

2:38

There's a small group of them, but the team is comprised of over 120 riders, and that's just one team.

2:43

Uh, there's teams at San Roma Valley, teams at Miramonte, teams in Oakland, and they all come over to Lime Ridge and to Walnut Creek to ride bikes, and I think we need to build them some trails.

2:52

Um, and that's my comment for y'all today.

2:55

Thank you.

2:56

Great, thank you very much.

2:59

Any other uh public comment before we okay, yes.

3:06

Good evening.

3:07

I'm Glenn McBee.

3:08

I'm the city liaison for the Walnut Creek Racket Club.

3:12

Been for many years.

3:14

Um I missed Chris's welcome party.

3:17

I wanted to come down and introduce myself and uh again get reacquainted with you guys, pump up our club a little bit.

3:24

We got one meet I want to talk about in a little bit, but just to remind the group, the crowd, Walnut Creek is a destination for a lot of things.

3:33

It is definitely for tennis.

3:34

We have over 1,200 members, active members in our public club, largest in Northern California on probably one of the smaller venues that we have centrally located at Heather Farm.

3:49

Second largest in the state, destination, as I said, for tennis players from many places because we have many teams that succeed and go on and play at nationals.

4:01

We've had I think six national champions in from seven different seasons last year that went and won at nationals.

4:13

But the one issue that I I think that you've probably heard, Chris has probably heard it already.

4:22

Our facilities are wonderful for what we have.

4:25

Our lights are an aging infrastructure issue.

4:28

They go out, they're of old technology, and when they go out, it's not just about getting a light bulb, it's a ballast that goes out, it's bulbs that are done a search nationwide.

4:43

We had three lights out on one court for three months.

4:47

Not because of lack of effort, but because of lack of supply.

4:51

So I know that um it's on the table with lifetime.

4:54

That's something they're trying to push.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████61%
Historic Preservation███████9%
Environmental Protection████5%
Personnel Matters████5%
Community Engagement███4%
Engineering And Infrastructure██3%
Procedural██3%
Youth Programs██3%
Transportation Safety██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Park, Recreation and Open Space Commission Regular Meeting - February 2, 2026

The Walnut Creek Park, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Commission held its regular meeting on Monday, February 2, 2026, at 6:00 pm in the City Hall Council Chamber. Chair Jason Cooke presided, with Vice Chair Sharon Pinkstaff and Commissioners Fran Garland, Art Oller, and Gloriann Sasser present. Commissioner Eli Konson was absent. The meeting featured presentations from six community non-profit partners, public comments on open space and recreation issues, and recognition of outgoing commissioners.

Consent Calendar

  • Re-approved the minutes of April 7, 2025, and June 2, 2025.
  • Approved the minutes of October 6, 2025.
  • Approved the 2026 PROS Regular Meeting Schedule.
  • Approved the Social Services Annual Report. All consent items were approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jared King (resident) expressed support for a mountain bike pilot project at Lime Ridge, citing the success of the Briones pilot project and the need for safe, legal trails for youth riders. He noted the Contra Costa Composite team has over 120 riders.
  • Glenn McBee (Walnut Creek Racket Club liaison) highlighted the club's 1,200 members and aging light infrastructure, advocating for LED upgrades.
  • Barbara Guinness (resident) raised concerns about illegal motorcycle and mountain bike use in Lime Ridge Wildlife Preserve, a recent fatality, wildfire risk, and the proposed conversion of a social trail to a multi-use trail. She urged caution.
  • David (coach, Contra Costa Composite) supported the pilot project, noting over 4,500 volunteer hours at Briones and increasing youth participation.
  • Additional public comments were made after each non-profit presentation (see below).

Discussion Items

The commission heard 15-minute presentations from six non-profit organizations, followed by public comment and commissioner questions.

Walnut Creek Aquatic Foundation (WCAF)

  • Meg Honey (board member) presented. WCAF, founded in 2015, supports a new Heather Farm Aquatic Center. The project includes a 50-meter competition pool, 25-meter recreation pool, current channel, diving boards, and inclusive changing rooms. Construction is planned through 2027. The foundation has raised $900,000 from 77 donors toward a $3 million goal. Naming opportunities remain. Groundbreaking is February 18, 2026, at 4 pm. The total project cost is $51 million (low bid). Commissioner questions addressed corporate sponsors and inclusive design features.

Walnut Creek Soccer Club (Walnut Creek Surf)

  • John Living Good (president) presented. The club has 3,000 members, over 300 volunteer coaches, and 30 professional staff. It offers recreational, select, and competitive programs, including TOP soccer for athletes with disabilities. The club committed $1.5 million over 10-15 years for capital projects (Tice Valley lights and Heather Farm turf). It is a major economic driver, hosting tournaments that bring hotel stays and dining revenue. Commissioner questions covered field access (turf field currently closed pending security measures) and the Surf Nation affiliation.

Walnut Creek Historical Society

  • Andrea Baldassi (vice president) presented. The society operates the Shadelands Ranch Museum (built 1903, cost $7,200). It preserves Penman family artifacts and offers educational programs, including third-grade living history tours (30+ classes annually), downtown history walks, and adult tours. Fundraising events include a car show (250 cars last year), holiday teas (1,200 served), and summer market. The society has a 501(c)(3) status and receives grants from the Walnut Creek Civic Pride Foundation.

Gardens at Heather Farm

  • Joan Lucese (executive director) presented. The gardens, a 54-year city partner, were built with $1.1 million raised by volunteers in the 1970s. Features 32 demonstration gardens, over 1,000 rose bushes, a children's garden, and a community garden with 82 plots. Education programs reach 20,000 students annually through field trips and classroom presentations. The gardens host 60-75 weddings per year and other events. Staff includes 20 paid employees, 11 of whom are credentialed teachers.

Walnut Creek Equestrian Center

  • Andrew Turnbull (ambassador) presented. The center has been at Heather Farm Park for 55 years, hosting events for the California State Horsemen's Association, pony clubs, equine-assisted therapy, and adventure day camp (600-700 kids in summer). No horses are boarded on site. Recent improvements include new arena footing and a mural. The center is a member of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce and received a legacy award. Commissioner discussion touched on trail sharing and safety concerns with mountain bikes.

Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation

  • Kime Smith (president) presented. The foundation, a 501(c)(3) for 47 years, coordinates volunteers for stewardship of the city's 2,700 acres of open space (larger than Central Park). Activities include trail maintenance, restoration projects, and educational programs. The foundation funds projects like trail relocation and supports a summer research grant (e.g., microplastics study). It seeks continued partnership with the city and increased volunteer engagement, especially Saturday events.

Staff Announcements

  • Mike Vickers (Public Works) reported: Civic Park playground renovation will start April 1, 2026, with completion by mid-May. Heather Farm Aquatic Center groundbreaking is February 18, 2026, at 4 pm. Demolition of the existing rec center has begun; 120 trees removed, over 100 already replanted, with a goal of 200.
  • Karen Haston Martin (Recreation Program Manager) announced: Second annual Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Resource Fair on March 7, 2026, at Shadelands Art Center; Walnut Creek Seniors Resource Fair on March 12, 2026, at St. Matthew's Church.
  • Chris Farrow (new Arts and Recreation Director) was introduced and welcomed.

Commissioner Announcements

  • Chair Jason Cooke and Commissioner Art Oller were recognized for their service. Cooke's term ends; Oller has applied for a third term. Both received thanks from staff and fellow commissioners. Cooke noted his lifelong residency and cycling advocacy. Oller thanked staff and community participants.
  • The meeting adjourned at 8:28 pm.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar approved unanimously.
  • No formal votes on non-profit presentations; information received.
  • Staff directed to continue partnership with non-profits and report back on field access and trail issues.
  • The commission will receive future updates on the general plan and park planning.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I'm Jason Cook and welcome to the Monday, February 2nd, 2026 regular meeting of the Walnut Creek Park Wreck and Open Space Commission. Start with uh roll calls. Secretary Vickers, would you please call roll? Yes. Commissioner Sasser. Here. Commissioner Oler. Commissioner Garland. Here. Vice Chair Pinkstaff. Here. Chair Cook. Here. And let the record show that uh Commissioner Conson is not but uh present tonight. Next on the agenda is public communication. This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items not on the agenda. Under the Brown Act, the Commission cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed. Request clarification or refer the item to staff. Written comments submitted have posted to the city's website for public review and are included in the meeting record, but will not but will be will not be separately read into the record. So this is a portion for items public comment not on the agenda. We have a busy schedule tonight. So is there anybody who has uh not on the agenda? Yes, sir. Come up and chat, two minutes. Two minutes. Uh hey there, folks. Uh my name is Jared King, born and raised here in Walnut Creek, lived here my entire life. Um, and I am here to uh voice a desire, and I think there's a need for this. Um, a mountain bike pilot project in Lime Ridge. Uh, most of you guys are probably aware that we tried to get a trail built in 2021, didn't really go well, but there is a large group of kids that ride and race in this area and that utilize Lime Ridge as a training ground, and the trails that they legally can ride do not necessarily serve what they need them to be. Um, and I think Lime Ridge would be a great solution for a pilot project. Um I would urge all of you guys to look into the success of the Briones pilot project that was been running for the last two years in Brioney's uh East Bay Regional Park District. Um I was largely a part of getting that up and running, and I would love to help you guys get a pilot project up and running here in Walnut Creek because I think it's desperately needed. Um I brought in a bunch of Contra Costa composite riders, these are all of our kids that race here in the area. There's a small group of them, but the team is comprised of over 120 riders, and that's just one team. Uh, there's teams at San Roma Valley, teams at Miramonte, teams in Oakland, and they all come over to Lime Ridge and to Walnut Creek to ride bikes, and I think we need to build them some trails. Um, and that's my comment for y'all today. Thank you. Great, thank you very much. Any other uh public comment before we okay, yes. Good evening. I'm Glenn McBee. I'm the city liaison for the Walnut Creek Racket Club. Been for many years. Um I missed Chris's welcome party. I wanted to come down and introduce myself and uh again get reacquainted with you guys, pump up our club a little bit. We got one meet I want to talk about in a little bit, but just to remind the group, the crowd, Walnut Creek is a destination for a lot of things. It is definitely for tennis. We have over 1,200 members, active members in our public club, largest in Northern California on probably one of the smaller venues that we have centrally located at Heather Farm.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com