Playgrounds and Sports

In a radius of 2 or 3 miles around Flood Park, there are many multipurpose, soccer, and similar fields that could support lacrosse or soccer. When considering public and private fields, including schools, parks, and sport complexes, how many fields support lacrosse?

We have asked County this question and are looking for their help in identifying these for local coaches.

In the meantime, community members are also in the process of creating a Local Sports Field spreadsheet to identify what local area fields support playgrounds, hiking, and various sports. The goal is to identify both public and private fields and then have County seek permissions for public use of sport fields (especially use by NFO, Belle Haven, and East Palo Alto neighborhoods). A DRAFT, work in progress, of this Sports Field Inventory is available for download.

Please use the website’s Comment form to identify other fields or corrections to this inventory of sports fields; or, use the website’s Contact form to provide your feedback.

We are waiting for a reply from county parks.

Several years ago, the baseball field was disrupted by the public water supply lines project. It was not maintained prior to that project and not restored and maintained after.

Why many of the other sports areas have not been maintained is another question. The popular small softball field and the tennis courts are in disrepair, making it difficult to near impossible to use.

The 4 volleyball courts are used quite a bit and are in better shape than any of the other sports areas in the park.

Volleyball historically has been a very popular sport at the park. Removing volleyball courts doesn’t seem in the interest of community that uses all 4 courts in the parks.

Over the last 10 years, the lack of maintenance of the tennis courts has virtually eliminated the ability to play. Yet, when the courts were maintained County records show a high level of popularity and use. It seems keeping the existing 4 courts should be considered rather than demolishing them to build 2 courts else where.

We have asked County this question and are looking for their help in identifying sources for their sports usage projections that they used for identifying the need to reduce the volleyball and tennis courts by half.

This question applies to the baseball field and the shared multipurpose that is part of and around the baseball field. This question also applies to the 2nd soccer/lacrosse field if it is to be built in the woodland. Building the field in the woodland has additional impact on the remaining woodland trees and ecosystem around the clear cut area.

The latest EIR discusses artificial turf surfaces; however, there is no discussion nor associated research on the impact of an artificial surface on the remaining trees in the area around the sport field, where high temperatures, moisture content of soil, and impact on the microorganisms and insects that make up a health woodland will be a factor and should be evaluated.

Waiting for County Response.

Summit and Everest high schools don’t have their own fields, yet other local high schools and middle schools do.   Soccer coaches and players from NFO say there aren’t enough fields to meet desires.  Yet, an inventory of public and private fields within a 2-3 mile radius of Flood Park shows that at least 4 other fields in local parks and at least 9 other fields on semi-private and private locations.

A quicker and probably much less expensive alternative is to have Flood Park support 1 multipurpose field (not 2) and for County to assist local schools and youth sport groups in getting permission to use these 13+ local fields. With permission obtained, the fields would be immediately available. No construction time, no construction costs, no delays for use. A potential win-win-win for county residents and entities with fields and all this with County saving millions of dollars.

Another alternative is to approach existing fields. For instance, in NFO, Taft School appears to have 2 baseball fields aligned such that a large soccer field could be housed when baseball was not in use. However, Taft appears to placing dirt over part of one of the baseball fields (for parking?). With the high demand in the NFO, it seems Taft school administration could be approached to restore the field and provide the multiple use option and thus have a large soccer field in the heart NFO.

Some coaches and ballplayers say there aren’t enough local fields in NFO, Belle Haven, and EPA, for all the ball groups and players.

There seem to be over a dozen soccer fields within 3 miles radius of Flood Park that could support soccer or lacrosse (see the DRAFT Sport Field Inventory report). County could pursue use agreements with these city, school, private, and commercial entities to provide access. Such agreements would yield use immediately, without having to wait for planning, construction, and other related delays. Please contact Supervisor Warren Slocum and Park’s Dept Director Nicholas Calderon (Click here to contact them).

This would also mean Flood Park could build the one multipurpose field in conjunction with the baseball field restoration and not build the destructive second field that destroys the heart of the heritage woodland. This could mean a savings of several millions of dollars AND the park would not need to be closed, it could essentially stay open while the play fields are restored (that area is closed now anyway).

There are other ways more soccer/lacrosse fields could be made available for local youth sports. See the Balanced Alternatives to view in park alternatives. Consider the Sport Field Inventory report; Although a draft report, it identifies a large number of fields that could host youth sports and practice sessions. County, city, and youth sports groups could work together to gain use permissions and contracts making these fields immediately available within the community areas where needed.

Waiting for County Response

County Parks has indicated they will be in charge of scheduling. We are waiting for more details from County as to how this process will work and who will have priority over others.

Some have reported that fields in nearby Santa Clara County and neighboring cities often have sport fields booked well into the year. At Flood Park, it seems picnic areas are scheduled only several weeks in advance. Will sport fields being booked into the coming season preempt the ability for families and groups to book picnic areas?