Dear City Council members: I’m writing to urge you to expand your
consideration of our downtown and treat Santa Cruz Avenue (SCA) as a whole,
rather than block by block. The Menlo Park downtown is truly a regional
embarrassment. When we moved to the area in 1994, San Carlos, Los Altos,
and Menlo Park (similar in size) appeared about equivalent in vibrancy. Of
the popular events we used to enjoy --Connoisseurs Marketplace (“Menlo
Summerfest”), Sidewalk Fine Arts & Crafts Fall Fest, partial SCA closure
for monthly outdoor dining event--, the only event remaining is Music in
the Park. Ironically, residents for over 30 years, we have to go to other
cities for community events. Menlo Park is the straggler, with little
progress to show. Although it has great potential, it’s unimaginative, has
a sad and tired look of abandonment and little curb appeal. Some individual
business owners are doing the heavy lifting, but there’s no perceptible
overall vision or leadership.
For my part, I can only express my gratitude to Bistro Vida’s Ali El Safy
for the indefatigable efforts, energy and money he’s poured into creating
inclusive spaces. We don’t need car access through Santa Cruz Avenue (I
personally never drive there, using instead Oak Grove or Menlo instead). We
need a pedestrian street with public gathering areas and public art. Anyone
who’s set foot outside Menlo Park can attest that pedestrian areas are more
vibrant, generating foot traffic, which translates into sales. A quick
internet search shows thousands of studies and articles pointing to the
benefits of pedestrianization.
Whenever a local citizen on NextDoor brings up the concept of a pedestrian
street, hundreds of local residents appear to embrace it. I for one would
love to see a feasibility study on turning SCA into a pedestrian area from
Camper to ECR. Additionally, I’d love to see a concerted effort to reach
out to those of us who live here. Instead you are contemplating removing
the only section of downtown Menlo Park where people can possibly
congregate outdoors.
Anecdotally, over our 30 years in Menlo Park, we’ve spent a small fortune
on home furnishings from Traditions, Flegel’s and Derby. We only went in
precisely “because” we were on foot. We happened to walk by, looked in,
engaged with the sales staff, and worked with those local businesses. And
then we kept returning to them because of the relationships that we
established. It really boggles the mind that anyone truly believe that car
traffic on SCA is the key to its success (Indeed does SCA look like
success?); perhaps those in that camp should get out more and see what
happens in areas that are reimagined.
In addition, please consider the needs of preteens and teens. Aside from
the skate park, there are no spaces for them, yet they too are full members
of our community. And Bistro Vida has created just that. Our kids are long
grown but the dearth of spaces welcoming Menlo Park teens and pre-teens is
unchanged. Meanwhile the playgrounds for the younger set have been upgraded
numerous times.
As you attempt to re-imagine what Menlo Park’s downtown can be, please
consider a holistic approach to your vision and consider the needs and
wants of all in the community, not simply those who complain the loudest.
Residents should have a voice, not just businesses: I fear that businesses
get the ear of the council and residents are ignored on defining the
identity of the heart of our town.
In the context of the parking lot brouhaha, why not consider low-profile
parking structures to replace remaining parking lots (at last) as well as
expanded shuttle routes?
In gratitude for your service,
Catherine McMillan
Menlo Park
