Parks

Write to the RTC on the Rail Corridor

April 27, 2020 by Seb Frey

The Coastal Rail Trail — Tell the RTC Your Thoughts on the Future of our Rail Corridor

The Regional Transportation Commission will soon decide if the Santa Cruz Rail Corridor will be used for passenger rail, or some kind of bus service. They are working on a Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis – but they are only looking at two alternatives – fixed rail and bus.

This web site has frequently made the case that the best use of the corridor isn’t for passenger rail. Many (most!) Aptos residents are likely also opposed to any capital-intensive, low-use projects envisioned in the corridor. Please write to the RTC today at transitcorridoraa@sccrtc.org or info@sccrtc.org or via their Contact Us web page.

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Suggested Talking Points for a Message to the RTC

I’m writing to let you know that I OPPOSE the rail transit options and the bus option on the rail corridor. The rail options however are far worse than bus, because…

Rail transit will not move more people faster nor for less money than bus transit.
Rail transit is more NOT accessible, less comfortable, and louder for riders and neighbors. It also does not go where people need to go.
Rail transit will operate in a corridor creating additional traffic congestion in residential neighborhoods, so provides the least reliable service: NEVER on time any time.
Rail transit CANNOT be implemented sooner than bus transit, it will have NO IMPACT to be able to travel car-free, it WILL NOT lower our emissions, it WILL NOT fight global warming, and will have NO IMPACT to escape traffic congestion sooner.
Rail banking WORKS and absolutely protects 100% of the existing 32 mile rail corridor from easement threats. The Great Redwood Trail in Northern California is using rail banking for a distance 10 times longer than the Santa Cruz Corridor with not easement threats. The only threat here is from the extremists at the Friend of the Rail Trail.

Choosing rail transit means construction of the Coastal Rail Trail is ALREADY delayed and WILL NOT be completed within 10 years. Plans for the rail trail are shoddy and ridiculously expensive.

Bus Rapid Transit/Bus on Shoulder along Highway 1 offers South County riders the same access to improved public transportation as North County riders, RAIL transit does not. It would also clearly show single occupant vehicle drivers that there isa faster way to Santa Cruz.

Rail transit WILL NEVER double the use of public transportation county-wide. Please use SMART as an excellent example of Rail Transit Failure. You cannot get an entire county to accept the burden of financing public tranportation for 2% of the population.

Rail transit is THE MOST expensive to operate and maintain so, over time, rail transit will BANKRUPT SANTA CRUZ METRO.

Funding to implement passenger rail service is NOT REALISTICALLY identified in the State Rail Plan. With COVID-19, we will also be taking a massive hit to revenue in the county, making paying for such capital intensive projects even less feasible.

Tearing up the existing tracks to replace them with a road for buses or commuter rail would create environmental trauma such as TOXIC CLEANUP FROM DECADES OF PESTICIDES, GREASES and OTHER WASTER along with demolition waste, grading, miles of new pavement, and digging for storm drainage systems. This is minimized by replacing the tracks with an active transportation trail and keeping mass transit on the Highway 1 corridor where it belongs.

Rail provides the LEAST easiest access and minimal amount of bike storage per vehicle (rail 20 or more, most buses can only carry around 3). WE DON’T WANT A PLACE TO STORE OUR BIKES, WE WANT A PLACE TO SAFELY RIDE OUR BIKES!

It doesn’t matter if rail provides the access for wheelchairs if it is difficult to get to the locations to ride the train and to get to a final destination as the centuries old rail line does not pass through any current day employment area, government center or higher learning campus. Rail on a signle track cannot accommodate more people with personal mobility devices.

STOP WASTING OUR TIME WITH THESE STUDIES! STOP THE MADNESS OF RAIL AND THEIR SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BUILD A TRAIL ON THE CORRIDOR NOW!

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Santa Cruz First Day Hikes 2019

December 28, 2018 by Seb Frey

Looking for a great way to start the new year in Santa Cruz? How about going outside and enjoying the great outdoors? Beaches, forests, and more! You owe it to yourself to check out these amazing Santa Cruz First Day Hikes for 2019. There are a couple right here in Aptos!

History Under the Trees

Concrete Ship History Walk: First Day Hike

Bird Walk

First Day Hike in Fall Creek

Wilder Ridge Loop: First Day Hike

Buzzard’s Roost Hike

Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property: First Day Hike

Sempervirens Falls Hike

Sequoia Audubon Trail First Day Hike

Sandhills to Observation Deck First Day Hike

Skyline to the Sea Bypass Trail

Old Cove Landing Trail

First Day Hike to Cable Car Beach

King Tide is Coming to Monterey Bay

December 14, 2018 by Seb Frey

Do you like those nature shows on TV? Well, you’re in luck because we’re about to have an incredible show right here, live in Aptos! California King tides are coming back to Santa Cruz and Monterey before the end of this year. Get ready to hit the beach and watch this exceptional natural phenomena, and it’s something you won’t want to miss.

The so-called Kind Tides happens naturally now and again. They are the highest tides that occur when the Earth, moon and sun are aligned at their closest points. The result is the largest tidal range seen over the course of the year. The flip side is a very low tide as sea levels rise. Tidal events such as the King tides push seawater further inland.

King Tide are predicted to happen in Monterey Bay on December 22nd/23rd and on January 21st/22nd 2019. Make sure to put it on your calendar so you don’t miss it!

King Tide Activities

#1: Walk the Coastline

At the beginning of this year, my wife and I decided to take the kids to explore the tide pools exposed by the super low tide. I made a blog entry about it, you can read it here: walk at King Tide on New Year’s Day.

You can walk almost all the coast line from New Brighton Beach to Capitola Beach, even to Rio del Mar. It was a great way to start 2018!

The King Tide hike was part of America’s State Parks’ movement known as “First Day Hikes,” with more than 80 hikes and other outings planned throughout all 50 states for New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Day, two wildlife interpreters from Seacliff State Beach led a public walk from New Brighton State Beach to Capitola Beach.

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#2: Check the Tide Pools

When the strip of beach between New Brighton and Capitola is accessible walkers get a unique experience in nature viewing. A number of different tide pools are revealed along the sandy, rocky route — people get a rare chance to view and document various inhabitants and species.

It is so unique. You can check out countless sea anemones and hermit crabs, or starfish. Many people were able to find them very easily. However, on our last visit we couldn’t find any starfish, alas. Some folks even saw an octopus darting between the rocks!

#3: Find the Fossils

In addition, remnants of the natural history of Santa Cruz County’s coastline were exposed during the low tides, including many fossils — some millions of years old. One impressive sight only seen during a negative or king tide is the 5-million-year-old fossil of a whale backbone, embedded permanently in the shoreline.

This phenomenal natural show gives people a glimpse of what daily tides may look like in the future due to sea level rise, if we think about climate change.

The best places to view the king tides are in Watsonville: at Palm Beach State Park and the last mile of Watsonville Slough, as well as Elkhorn Slough.

So, make sure to check it out and feel free to post it in our instagram or Facebook page Aptos Community News!

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History Sharing Day at Castro-Adobe

November 13, 2018 by Seb Frey

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) today announced it will host a history-sharing event Castro Adobe State Historic Park on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Thanks for the Memories” is a chance for history buffs, locals and Castro family descendants to visit the new state historic park in the Pajaro Valley and share historic photos of the property and surrounding area. Staff will be on-hand to scan the images and add them to the park’s archive and for potential use in the site interpretation. Friends staff is also interested in hearing personal stories and anecdotes about the Castro Adobe and families that have resided there.

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“Part of restoring and opening the Castro Adobe as a State Historic Park is learning all of the history of the property and interpreting it for the public,” said Bonny Hawley, executive director of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. “But we need help. Please check your attics, photo albums and even family bibles for information related to the Castro family or the property. We’re crowd-sourcing in the 21st century to get a look at life in the 19th century.”

Friends is trying to solve one mystery in particular — what did the family of Juan Jose Castro and his wife, Rita Josefa Pinto Castro look like? To date, no photos of this particular family have surfaced. Friends is also seeking historic photos that include:
• Castro family members and nearby rancho families, such as Rodriguez and Amesti
• the Castro property and historic buildings including outbuildings
• nearby properties and surrounding lands
• Old Adobe Road from various angles

Photos and documents will be returned immediately after they are scanned.

The Saturday event also will include tours of the Adobe and is free to attend. Castro Adobe State Historic Park is located at 184 Old Adobe Road, Watsonville. Parking is extremely limited and carpooling is encouraged. Learn more at www.thatsmypark.org.

For those who cannot attend the event, but still want contribute to the historical archive at Castro Adobe State Historic Park, please contact Friends at 831-429-1840.

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Valencia Hall and Post Office

December 13, 2016 by Seb Frey

The Valencia Hall and Post Office are all that remain of the once thriving community of Valencia. Built circa 1884 by Frederick A. Hihn for his Valencia logging mill workers and their families. Valencia Hall originally served as a community meeting place for dances, Sunday school, the Lyceum and Literary Society. In the 1920s ownership transferred to the Valencia Farm Bureau when it served as a gathering place for many community events. In 1976, after decades of neglect, the buildings became the property of the County of Santa Cruz. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places (#84001201) maintained and operated by the Santa Cruz County Parks Department as a party and wedding venue.

The buildings on the property were originally located a few dozen feet from their current location, but were moved across Bear Creek Road and Valencia Road to their current location in the late 1980s. Santa Cruz county purchased the parcel of land where the structures are currently situated in 1986.

Both structures are built to last, constructed out of old-growth redwood. Many of the double-hung windows are original; the glass has become wavy with age. The post office building has some original 1880s wallpaper along the ceiling, which is deteriorated and protected by plexiglass. The pot-belly stove in the building is said to be original as well. The kitchen and bathroom area in the Hall building are said to have been added in the 1920s.

If you wish to reserve Valencia Hall, you can do so by contacting the Santa Cruz County Parks Department. Your reservation will include:

The hall
Kitchen facilities
60 chairs
14 six-foot rectangular banquet tables
Up to 80 guests

On weekends, there is an eight hour minimum time to book the facility, including preparation and take-down. During the week and in winter, hourly rentals may be available. There is an additional fee for a sound permit ($250-$300 for 5 hours of music) and another fee for an alcohol permit if you wish (another $250-$300, for four hours of alcohol service). The property is fully wheelchair accessible, and there is parking for approximately 45 vehicles. Reservations can be made up to a year in advance, and set-up and clean-up are the responsibility of the party.

Valencia Hall Video

Valencia Hall Photographs

Valencia Post Office

Polo Grounds Restroom Now Open for Business!

November 17, 2016 by Seb Frey

Polo Grounds Park in Aptos is well known to many area families; many weekends of the year, the park hosts up to 2,000 people who come to play soccer, baseball, ride their BMX bikes, walk their dogs, and other sports and recreational activities. Until now, all these thousands of weekly visitors had only a few portable chemical toilets to use to satisfy the call of nature.

That’s all come to an end now, as the Santa Cruz County Parks Department officially opened the new restroom and concession building at the Park. Parks Director Jeff Gaffney got the proceedings rolling, and soon turned the microphone over to Jay Johnson, the general contractor for the project. The project had also been championed and supported by the Cabrillo Host Lions Club, and their President also spoke at the event. Supervisor Zach Friend also made extensive remarks, and then it was time to cut the ribbon and tour the new facility.

The Restrooms are open but there’s still room for improvement! Support the Cabrillo Host Lions Club in their work by buying a personalized brick which will be installed at the site. Bricks are just $100 for a 4×8 or $150 for a 12×12.

After the ceremony, Jay Johnson shared some interesting details about the facility. It is actually a pre-fabricated structure manufactured in Oregon, and was brought to the site on three flatbed trucks. It came already painted with anti-graffiti paint. The front third of the building is the concession area, with a window for service and several sinks. Most of the center of the building is a utility hallway, which makes it easy to access and maintain the mechanicals (plumbing, electricity, etc.) for the building. There’s also a cool bottle filler above the water fountains built into the rear of the building by the bathroom doors.

You can see a video below of the ceremony, and a gallery of photographs showing the inside of the building below that. In more ways than one, having this new restroom facility at the Polo Grounds will be a big relief for the Aptos community.

Polo Grounds Restroom Ribbon Cutting Video

Photos of new Polo Grounds Restroom and Concession Building

Polo Grounds Restroom Groundbreaking

November 2, 2016 by Seb Frey

The day which many Aptos families have been eagerly awaiting will soon be upon us! The Santa Cruz County Parks Department has announced that the new Polo Grounds Park Restroom and Concession Building will be having a ribbon cutting opening ceremony on Wednesday, November 16th between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM. All are welcome to attend!

Seacliff Village Park Now Open

December 11, 2015 by Seb Frey

After nearly twenty years of work by our community, the Seacliff Village Park is now open! Despite the damp conditions for the event, dozens of community members came out for the ribbon cutting. Food was provided by Manuel’s Restaurant and Severino’s, and many children got their first chance to break in the new play structures.

Before the ribbon was cut, a number of people who had been instrumental in the park’s creation made a few remarks, including Kate Minott (the 2nd District Parks Commissioner and Friends of Santa Cruz County Parks) and Zach Friend, the our 2nd District County Supervisor. A complete video recording of the remarks and ribbon cutting is available here, along with a number of photographs.

Video of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Photo Gallery

Seacliff Village Park is Now Open!

Seacliff Village Park Opens December 10!

December 4, 2015 by Seb Frey

It’s been years in the making, and now, finally, Seacliff Village Park opens December 10! There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newest Santa Cruz County Park on Thursday, December 10th from 1 to 3 PM.

Located at the corner Sea Ridge Road and McGregor Drive, the new Seacliff Village Park is a 1.4-acre facility that will feature many wonderful elements. These include five play structures including swings, a climbing net, and a lighthouse themed play area. There will be a small plaza area, multiple walkways, a picnic area, drinking fountain, bike rack, and benches. Public art from local artist Kathleen Crocetti will also be incorporated in our new park. Ms. Crocetti’s work includes 38 stained concrete pylons with mosaic tops that feature local Seacliff imagery.

Seacliff Village Park Groundbreaking

August 2, 2015 by Seb Frey

It’s finally happening – Seacliff Village Park will soon become a reality! The public is invited to attend the Seacliff Village Park groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, August 3rd from 10 AM until 12 noon. The ceremony is to be held at the park site at the corner of McGregor Drive and Sea Ridge Road in Aptos.

The first phase of the park’s construction will be performed by Earthworks Paving Contractors, who have 144 days to complete this first stage of the development. This work will include a lighthouse-themed play structure, a picnic area, a small plaza, drinking fountain, bike rack, benches, several walkways, and drought tolerant landscaping.

Phase 1 will also include a public art component by artist Kathleen Crocetti, who will cast 38 stained concrete pylons topped with mosaics along the park pathways. The public is invited to join in the creation of the artwork by attending design meetings or participating in the onsite artwork construction. For more details please visit www.scparks.com.

Please join County Supervisor Zach Friend, Parks staff, the Seacliff Improvement Association and Earthworks Paving Contractors, Inc. for this FREE event on August 3rd, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. All are invited to attend to hear speakers share, and reminisce about how Seacliff Village Park became a reality.