City Council,
I would like to offer some comments on the staff report that provides direction on the design and improvements for the closed portion along the 600 block of Santa Cruz.
First, I want to applaud the idea of creating a pedestrian crossing from the breezeway. So many pedestrians cross there now, it would be lovely to make it safer.
I also love the idea of painting the asphalt.
I do have some concerns about having a dedicated children’s play area. My concerns are mainly from a safety point of view. Its hard to keep a small space safe without dedicated infrastructure – soft flooring, potentially fencing, etc. I think there are lots of fun ways to engage children (and all ages) in play without dedicated space or equipment. These can be something simple like painting a hopscotch or other games on the ground. Saratoga has a “Silly Walk Zone” (see attached picture). If there is a desire for a dedicated space, something like a small commercial grade playhouse allowing imaginative play (play café or similar) would be better than, say, climbing gyms. A playhouse could also be later moved if it was not viable or the street is reopened.
Thank you for your time.
Anna Chow, owner
Cheeky Monkey Toys
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cheekymonkeytoys.com&c=E,1,jRE_-jS0lvQhCGna0UtsKcNp1L3_XDFvXPm2DhONLoGmqBqPvDANu39av8B3lswG74SE9xlkxN8uyO8ClMBanNUsKwaqYvvTVXUDSFb91Wt2&typo=1
