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The Arovista Park makeover is underway.
While serving as Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Human Services commission during the planning stage, it feels great to see the construction advancing. Pickleball courts, a massive adaptive playground, a repurposed amphitheater, new rest rooms and shade. Short term inconvenience for many years of outdoor recreational opportunities.
The adaptive playground will be like nothing we’ve seen in Orange County and will be a huge draw. The biggest concern is outside the playground itself. Traffic on Elm Street and at the entrance on Imperial Hwy need to be addressed well before the park reopens next year. I’m committed to lead the local discussion on how to enjoy this greatly improved civic asset while making sure neighborhood safety is addressed.
Pickelball has taken the country by storm. It’s the fastest growing sport in the country. By it’s structure is allows for multigenerational play. In addition pickelball allows more users per square foot than any other sport assets.
The City of Placentia was well ahead of the curve as they converted a single tennis court into 4 pickleball courts. It’s packed every day – and a lot of Breans can be found there at any time!
Cities all over the country are repurposing park assets to meet the demands of pickleball enthusiasts. Looks like it will be another year before Brea gets a couple of public courts in the Arovista Park makeover. Pickleball in the Sports Park is years away. There are xx public basketball courts in Brea. Xx have lights. But no pickleball. As a premier OC City, Brea can do better to respond to shifting trends and citizen requests. We can’t be stuck in the amenities of the past, as we mature as a community. Let’s rally to find a location on the east side that can serve that purpose.
City staff did a great job in planning for the future when the City took possession of the Birch Hills Golf Course. Just south of the 10th Tee box is a large level lot overlooking the 18th green. This is the site of a future Multipurpose/Senior Community Center. The utilities look to be already placed underground. You might call it “shovel ready”.
The Senior population in Brea expands and as population growth in Brea extends to the East this would be a welcomed community asset as a great community gathering place. The need for private event space can make this a profitable venture for Community Services department to keep other rates in check.
This needs to get more visibility on the City radar screen. I’m ready to give it that push.
Standing on the corner of Valencia Avenue just North of Santa Fe on a Saturday morning I was amazed at the traffic headed to the Olinda Alpha Landfill. Estimates are it could be as many as 750 trucks on an average day. Six days a week. Other projected developments will add even more roadway congestion.
Is no one willing to address this impact to the quality of life for Brea residents. The life of the dump has been extended to the year 2036. This isn’t going away soon.
There are some solutions. I’m ready to start the discussion on how to “protect the hills” that are such an important part of our Brea Culture. At the same time look to reroute trash trucks to improve the quality of life in the neighborhoods of East Brea.
Interested? Join me in looking at the options.
A lot of us use Waze and Google maps to navigate the traffic that piles up on Imperial Hwy. The problem is… it channels traffic into our neighborhoods. The corner of Elm and Laurel in South Brea is a good example. A 2021 traffic study showed that only 14% of vehicles made a complete stop at this signal. Another City of Brea parking committee study indicated that a total of 70 cars ran the stop sign in a single 4 hour period between 3 and 7 pm.
There are low cost methods to slow the pass through traffic and make pedestrians safer in our neighborhoods. It doesn’t have to be speed bumps! Action is needed to get explore some traffic calming measures.
The projected Senior population in Brea indicates the current Senior Center will be inadequate to provide the level of service that Seniors deserve. In addition to our own local seniors, participation at the Sievers Street location draws guests from all over the area, especially from the “hilltop” parts of Fullerton, Placentia and LaHabra.
There is need to consider a second Senior/Multipurpose facility in East Brea. Other means can be taken to increase the capacity of the Sievers Street Senior Center
Did you know that the Boys and Girls Club ground lease with the City provides for 20 hours a week for Senior Center use? This would be a big plus for active seniors at a time of day when the Club facility is underutilized. Current council needs to explore this low cost way to increase Senior participation.
I was pleased to provide volunteer MC and DJ services to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) fundraising walk in Irvine on September 14th. Over 1000 walkers– All families and friends of those impacted by suicide.
My retirement hobby has allowed me to provide volunteer services for the National Multiple Sclerosis Walk, Pacific Symphony, City of Hope and CHOC. If you have a 501(c)3 organization…. Let me know how I can help you with your events by providing services as an in-kind contribution.
My family has sure enjoyed having the “Tracks” within a short distance of our home. I’ve been monitoring plans for extension both East to Yorba Linda and West to La Habra and eventually to Whittier. A number of bicyclists have asked me about some safety upgrades at the major street crossings especially by the Fire Station on Brea Blvd.
I’m looking for other suggestions to forward on to city staff. We all want a “smooth ride”.
It’s Labor Day Weekend. Saturday afternoon and its 100 degrees in the shade. And the Brea Plunge is closed.
Historically, the pool closes when school opens for the Fall. But schools seem to open earlier and earlier each year. That leaves a wonderful community asset such as the Plunge under-utilized.
The argument may be… once school is open – no one would swim. However – things have changed. Homeschoolers, grandparents caring for grandkids, remote workers needing a break. And how about late summer weekends?
I’m for rethinking the “traditional” ways we use public facilities and maximizing their usefulness. Anyone else think this way.
I get a real sense of community when I attend functions such as Brea Fest, Love Brea and Downtown Bonanza Days. We need more ways to bring our community together.
Contact me at Tomdonini4brea@gmail.com or phone 714-381-1995
