Park Subcommittee Formation
Commissioner Steve Francis recommended that subcommittees be formed to develop a master plan for South Park and Clark Field.
Lisa Lynn: described a Master Plan as a general guideline for appropriate park uses and their location within a specific park site. It is conceptual in nature and is a long range plan, typically 10-20 years out. A Master Plan looks at usage and demographics, anticipating that the City will change. It looks at the history of a park site, what the current uses are and develops a long term plan that requires public participation.
Commissioner Francis: Vision is forming committees made up of two of our Commissioners, Public Works, Friends of Parks, and one or two citizens. A 5-6 person committee is a good size; not too big so that it gets bogged down but large enough so that one person could not run their own agenda. Looking for a 10-20 years out plan that will allow parks to serve citizens and the community in the future. Not looking to replace park benches or to fix fencing. Looking at demographic changes. Public Works will work with us. Regarding the timeline, at Clark Field, money is being spent as we speak. Mike Flaherty, Public Works, has assured the irrigation system is flexible and adaptable. If the configuration of the park changes, more sprinkler heads can be added. Next in line to be replaced is the lighting. It would be unfortunate to replace lighting and then need to re-configure. Clark is our only lighted park so it is imperative that we get some movement on this quickly. I would like to see, In June, a Park Committee come to us with something that we can hold a public hearing on.
Lisa Lynn: It would be important to include the entire Clark complex; the field, basketball courts, buildings and all the areas within the complex. Long term, all of the current user groups may not be in existence.
Commissioner Francis: If fellow Commissioners have anything to add, please do so.
Commissioner Cannella: I think it is a great idea. I would be willing to participate on a committee.
Commissioner Sigler: I agree. I am a baseball fan. I’d love to help at Clark Stadium.
Commissioner Francis: I am excited about all the support. Are there any nominations for committee members?
Commissioner Hollander: I would like to nominate Steve Francis for the Clark Facility Committee.
Commissioner Sigler: I second. I would also like to nominate Steve Cannella.
Seconded.
All Ayes.
Commissioner Francis: South Park will be a longer range program. South Park was formerly the South School site which is how it got its name. We can make better use of the space and facilities, reconfigure the field and playground area and picnic areas to better serve the community. It is a nice park and beautiful area where a lot of things could be done. I welcome Commissioner comments about South Park.
Commissioner Hollander: I have spent a lot of time at South Park and agree that it needs some attention and a long range plan.
Commissioner Cannella: I coached at the hockey rink when it first opened up and I am sad to see the shape the rink is in. It needs immediate attention. The park is flat. It could be changed into something really useful.
Commissioner Francis: I nominate Christine Hollander for the South Park Committee. She has an investment in South Park and would serve well.
Commissioner Cannella: I nominate Bill Sigler.
Seconded.
All Ayes.
Commissioner Francis: In regard to subcommittees, when choosing someone to be involved, remember that we are not promoting personal agendas here that serve the needs of the committee. It will function better if you have people there that serve the City and not personal agendas.
Lisa Lynn: Two Commissioners selected for each committee is a good start. For Clark, Steve Francis and Steve Cannella. For South Park, Christine Hollander and Bill Sigler. I will work with the committees on a time line for the master plan, needs assessments and workshops out in the community.
Women’s Club request for South Park name change.
Lisa Lynn: The Women’s Club submitted a two part letter of request.
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Sponsor a new sign at South Park
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Request a name change from South Park to Centennial Park.
There are negative connotations with the name South Park and the cartoon “South Park”. Also, Hermosa turns 100 this year making the name Centennial Park more appropriate and also, the Bi-Centennial Park is across the street.
Commissioner Francis: Is there anyone here wanting to address this issue?
Jean Cullen: Corresponding Secretary of the Hermosa Beach Women’s Club. The Women’s Club sent the letter of request of the name change before learning that the [Meistrell] family, who donated [a portion of] the land, might have a preference to the name change. The Women’s Club offers to pay for the sign, but would like for the family to have priority over the name.
Commissioner Hollander: Do we have another request for a name change?
Lisa Lynn: I have not received anything at this point.
Commissioner Francis: Reminder that this is preliminary and that we have to have a public hearing on the name change. We won’t be deciding tonight.
Jean Cullen: the Women’s Club would like to pay for the sign. If the family has a name they prefer, we agree that the family who has been in Hermosa Beach for a long time should be honored.
Lisa Lynn: To clarify, you are requesting a name change but are still willing to pay for a sign.
Jean Cullen: that is correct, yes. There are many other things in Hermosa Beach that the Women’s Club can participate in, especially with the parks.
Commissioner Francis: Is there anyone else who would like to comment on South Park name change?
Bill Meistrell: 2201 Palm Avenue, Manhattan Beach. I am the second generation of Bill and Bob Meistrell who started Body Glove Dive and Surf in 1953 in Hermosa Beach. We heard about the name change. When we donated the land we asked for it to be named Body Glove or something similar but it was turned down at that time. We feel that Hermosa Beach should “claim the territory” where Bill and Bob Meistrell started the surf and dive industry. I brought some information about the history of the Meistrell’s and their contributions to the City to handout for your review. We think that Hermosa Beach should latch on to the Body Glove name since it is known world wide and is associated with Hermosa Beach. We would like to see the Meistrells and Body Glove in the heritage of the City. If they would like to bring more of the Bill and Bob into it, they did establish the industry and donated the land, but the park name could include Body Glove, Dive and Surf, Meistrells.
Commissioner Francis: Let me clear something up. The park is not being renamed. We are just discussing it. This is just the very beginning. All of us on the Commission are aware of Body Glove and its impact on Hermosa Beach. None of us here served on that committee when the name was chosen.
Bill Meistrell: And South Park didn’t have the same connotation as it does now.
Commissioner Cannella: I met Bill at a Council meeting and he had mentioned that the Meistrell family had donated [a portion of]the land and that, originally, they had wanted the name of the park to be Body Glove. I mentioned that a name change was being considered. I was going to bring it to Council in February. I noticed that the Women’s Club was on the November 8 Committee agenda for consideration of a name change and I let Bill know that he should be at this meeting to get the word out about his family’s request to be considered. I have been working with the historical society and the Surfer’s Walk of Fame and this is a good way to preserve this name and keep it close to our community. Historically, it’s a world renowned name and part of Hermosa Beach heritage and I think it is a great idea. I think the “Centennial” is also a great idea. It is going to be hard to choose, but I feel that Body Glove should be considered. The recommendations will go before Council and they will be the ones to make the decision.
Commissioner Francis: I would hope that the Commissioners would agree with me that we need to put this in a public hearing before we send it to Council and not saddle them with that obligation. It would be intelligent of us as a Commission to take that on to take some of the load off City Council. We will present it to the citizens for their input.
Lisa Lynn: It is really important to get input from the public. The South Park Subcommittee is going to have no choice in getting public input because through the Master Plan process, there are three opportunities to meet with the community. The first of which is a workshop sharing information and ideas and conducting needs assessments. The second, is when the Committee takes all that information and comes up with a preliminary plan and when they draw up the plan is when it would be appropriate to come up with the name change because that is when you are discussing changes in use, potentially. Then the public meeting would happen at a Commission meeting to draft the Master Plan.
Commissioner Francis: My personal opinion on naming parks is that I have a difficult time naming a park after an individual. Not in any way belittle what your contributions have been but 100 years from now the name doesn’t mean the same. We need to have a motion to send this to the new subcommittee.
Commissioner Hollander: I make a motion to have this on the agenda for the Subcommittee meeting.
Commissioner Cannella: Second
All Ayes
