Community workshops to transform Maxwell Park

In 1973 Maxwell Park was designed as a rural regional park. Today, 40 years later, the park is surrounded by the densest urban neighborhoods in Sonoma Valley. How best to integrate the park with its adjacent urban neighborhoods, and best serve multiple multi-cultural, social, and recreational interests?

The Friends of Maxwell Park will host a series of drop in, hands on, open house style community workshops throughout the day from 10 am to 6pm on Friday, June 26, at the Finish American Home Association, 197 West Verano Ave., El Verano.

“The purpose is to engage local residents of El Verano and the springs communities in re-imagining how the park can be used to support the community health and quality of life of its adjacent neighborhoods.” said Larry Davis, founder of the Friends of Maxwell Park.

Several months of listening to local residents, park users, and other stakeholders has Davis to significantly rethink the issues and possibilities of the Park, he said.

According to Davis, “Our challenge is to develop a new 21st century urban community park which serves multiple multi-cultural, social, and recreational interests; is safe and accessible for elders, the handicapped and small children; preserves and enhances the park’s exquisite environmental qualities; and is sustainably and cost effectively managed.”

Workshop participants will share ideas and begin to map details and specifications for a wide range of proposals such as the use of the park for art, food , and music events; pedestrian access from Riverside Drive; elders exercise and bench facilities; new soccer fields; bird inventories and nature trails; vegetable and flower gardens; dogs in the park; mothers with small children; bikes in the park, the Splash swimming pool proposal; use of the boys and girls club for local community meetings; new parking spaces and fees; transitioning the park to sustainability; and whatever other issues participants wish to explore.

Participants will be encouraged and assisted to form small summer working groups to further research and develop specific proposals to be presented to a larger public gathering which the Friends of Maxwell Park will convene in the fall.

Tentative Workshop Schedule for June 26

10 AM- Designing a Park for Elders and Women with Small Children

11 AM- History of Maxwell Park and its Transformation into an Urban Community Park

12 Noon- Reintroducing Art, Fiestas, Food, and Music Events into the Park

1PM- Integrating the park with local community life; Pedestrian Access & Safety

2PM- Protected Spaces: Creek habitats, Bird Inventories, Nature Trails

3PM -Open Space: participants choice

4PM –Repeat of 11AM workshop: Transformation to an Urban Community Park

5PM Transitioning to Sustainable Park Management: Energy, Money, and Politics

6PM- Creating New Soccer Fields for Adults and Teens

For more detailed and up to date schedules or to schedule a time for your interest contact Larry Davis at [email protected] or go to the website: friendsofmaxwellpark.org