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A park with all the perks
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Posted by lward Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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1 response 2 comments For children who've run their hands along the chain-link construction fences that encircle the green grass and lakes at Stockdale Highway and Buena Vista Road, and drivers who've gazed with curiosity at the Bright House Networks Amphitheater in the distance, the wait is almost over.
More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the "Bit of Bakersfield" grand opening celebrations for The Park at River Walk, the city of Bakersfield's most ambitious public park in decades, the weekend of April 28, 29 and 30.
Friday evening will feature The Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band. Saturday and Sunday activities will include a children's area, two stages of entertainment, historical booths, a farmer's market, food booths, a tasting garden, a model boat regatta and a fishing derby.
"The Park at River Walk will be an attractive area of peaceful relaxation. It'll also be a great visual addition to the community, and, with the amphitheater, a venue for a variety of entertainment," said Dianne Hoover, director of the City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks.
The 32-acre park is made up of mostly passive parkland – there are no baseball, basketball or football fields –– and traditional park amenities.
“The park will be a wonderful addition to Bakersfield,” said Southwest resident and breast cancer awareness resource center Link to Life executive director Jennifer Henry. “It’s a sign that we’re growing by leaps and bounds, but in a positive way. And people need to get out and exercise more!” said Henry, who will be taking her two children to the park.
Hoover said she's as excited as anyone for the park to open, but cautions people to stay off the property until opening day.
"I'd rather everything be ready at once versus doing it piecemeal," said Hoover. New amphitheater seats need to be installed and the Bermuda grass needs to be given time to grow before it can withstand public feet.
City manager Alan Tandy said the park's large acreage and open space design will be a big attraction to residents throughout the community.
"The new park will be easily accessible for neighborhood residents, and located conveniently close to restaurants and other planned amenities," said Tandy. "In addition, the Kern River Parkway runs adjacent to the park, making it convenient for residents to use both recreational opportunities, if they
so desire."
For Southwest residents biding their time until they can invade the park with their picnic baskets or rock out at a summer concert, it's a good time to become versed on the park's background and offerings.
How it came about
So how did a long, dusty field become an inviting oasis?
Ken Trone, park planner with the city of Bakersfield, describes The Park at River Walk as a collaborative effort of many different government and private interests with the common goal of improving the community of Bakersfield.
Trone describes his role as long term, beginning with identifying the need for a community
park in the Southwest and land acquisitions in the late 1990s all the way through the
planning, design, construction and eventual maintenance of the site.
The site was chosen mostly opportunistically to rescue a parcel of inaccessible land adjacent to the Kern River from urban development and provide the community with highly desired parkland.
"The improvements would enhance the natural setting and compliment adjacent commercial and
residential land uses," said Trone.
The park was originally set to open in October, and there was a slight problem when the nonprofit Kern River Parkway Foundation raised concerns about seeds from the Chinese elms (which were not yet planted) blowing into the Kern River.
But Oregon ash trees were substituted for the elms, and Trone said all in all plans have proceeded smoothly.
"From my perspective the results have exceeded my expectations," said Trone.
 

What it boasts
* A highlight of the park is its water feature. An upper 3-acre lake surrounds the amphitheater and meanders through the park along a 1,000-foot long cobble stone creek bed to a 2-acre lower lake. No water is wasted to operate the lakes and streams. The lakes are actually groundwater recharge basins fed from the Pioneer Canal and any additional water outlets back to the adjacent Kern River.
* Two entry plazas welcome visitors driving into the park.
* 1/2-dozen bike racks
* 40 benches
* A children's playground
* An overlook area with a gazebo the city describes as "perfect for weddings."
* Five covered and reversible group picnic areas with benches and barbecues
* Several smaller first-come, first-serve-type picnic areas with barbecues
* Two public restrooms
* Native plant materials indigenous to the Kern River Corridor used in planting scheme
* Off-street parking lot with capacity to hold 300 vehicles (In the near future as adjacent projects are built shared parking arrangements will allow for more convenient parking for large events.)
* Six connections to the Kern River Bike Path so walkers and bikers have easy access

The crown jewel
Lakes and benches are nice, but the city is betting people are going to want to park themselves in front of one stage starting this month – that of the Bright House Networks Amphitheater.
The 5,000-seat state-of-the-art outdoor public performance venue is constructed of steel and rock and can accommodate the latest technology in sound and lighting. The stage area is over 3,000 square feet of surface area and extends over 28 feet to the cross beams.
Hoover's face lights up when she talks about the water that circulates between the audience and stage and the Vegas-like lighted fountains that will illuminate the night.
The Bright House Networks cable television company will pay the city $75,000 in cash and $25,000 in advertising time each year in exchange for the naming rights.
"We recognize how important the amphitheater is going to be to the community. It will be a true centerpiece," said Southwest resident and Bright House division president Joe Schoenstein, who also said he plans to hold the company picnic at the park in May.
The money could be set aside to help bring performances and acts to the amphitheater, a task Hoover is already tackling.
"I've had promoters contact me interested in having LA or Las Vegas acts stop by this summer," said Hoover, who said this year will be a "building year" for the amphitheater in terms of awareness and bookings.
Hoover also said the amphitheater will be a great venue for outdoor stage plays, graduations and even Sunday services.
While there has been talk of Bright House setting up high-speed Internet access in the park –– an attractive option for Cal State students and others –– Schoenstein said no decisions have been made yet regarding the concept.

What the future holds
Hoover said the city has a development policy that requires 2.5 acres of parkland for every 1,000 people. The Park at River Walk is a regional park so it's bigger, but Hoover said the city likes to have at least 6-acre parks.
The city continues to focus on building new water features like spray and play parks in areas of the city, and more parks will be added to the city as development brings money into the Recreation and Parks Department coffers.
Trone said the city is currently developing a new Recreation and Parks Master Plan for the delivery of its services.
"The process is one driven by public input," said Trone. "This plan, once adopted, will provide us with a blueprint for future facility development and recreational programming."

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Comment From: meestro

As an active concert goer as well as a musician, I see no logic in having an 'active water feature' in front of the stage. Not only does it create a safety hazard with active microphones and instruments on stage, but it detracts from the audience/performer interaction. Why create a barrier between the stage and audience? Typically when cities build ampitheaters, they atleast partially model it after an existing successfull one, particularly when there's something 'unique' involved. I don't know of any other ampitheaters that have such a barrier in front of the stage...for a good reason I'm sure. Beyond the safety hazard, and typical interaction worries, how about the financial opportunity loss the ampitheater is risking by not allowing 'orchestra pit' seating? Premium seating goes for big bucks, particularly at great outdoor venues. I've contacted the Parks & Recreation about this early in the planning/construction stages, and they said that they've considered providing a 'bridge' to go over the water area, but that it'd be costly. I also surely hope the Parks & Recreation will reconsider their current rule of not allowing any merchandise sale in local parks unless it's for a non profit organization. Can you imagine an out of town act playing the venue and not allowed to sell CDs or T-shirts? Comment From: tomasi

Great article. I can hardly wait to see it. Joe