Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, September 28, 2015, 4:54 PM
Town Square
Menlo Park: Downtown pop-up park trial ends soon
Original post made on Sep 28, 2015
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, September 28, 2015, 4:54 PM
Comments (22)
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 28, 2015 at 10:32 pm
It was a lousy idea and totally unfair to the barber shop. Hopefully the city pays him for the business he lost.
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on Sep 29, 2015 at 10:54 am
Peter Carpenter is a registered user.
Thanks to the City for experimenting - a great way to learn what works and what may not work. And infinitely better than waiting for the elusive perfect solution to anything.
a resident of Menlo Park: Menlo Oaks
on Sep 29, 2015 at 12:25 pm
I don't think it was a horrible idea, although inconvenient for some of the business. What was horrible was that it was an eyesore. Cheap, carnival colors and not in keeping with what the rest of Santa Cruz Avenue strives achieve with its storefronts and restaurants. Brilliant green astro-turf along with brightly colored plastic adirondack chairs and balls are not my idea of a fun style.
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Sep 29, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Thanks for trying. People used it. That showed the idea had value.
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 12:35 pm
Pop up park is a nice idea but it complicates traffic flow from one of the most visited stores, Trader joes. I'm forever driving around the block to get onto one of the most traveled local streets, Santa Cruz Ave., coming out of TJ's. Could the park be placed on Evelyn St., for example?
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Sep 29, 2015 at 12:43 pm
What a relief that eyesore will be gone--hopefully forever. Gone the way of the other recent great idea by city staff: blocking right turn access to the library and Recreation Center off of east-bound Ravenswood.
Did anyone really think blocking a downtown street with some tacky plastic turf and cheap plastic chairs would be a draw for Menlo Park, and help create "community"?
Why not instead try sprucing up Fremont Park, which used to be lovely and inviting, and is now another eyesore.
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 12:51 pm
The sooner this stupid, mindless excuse for something different ends, the better.
What kind of juveniles are being employed by our City.
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Sep 29, 2015 at 12:58 pm
There were no angry people at the last movie night, and all the kids looked to be having a great time.
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:04 pm
Could we revitalize Fremont Park to use for this kind of event instead? Parking became an issue when the pop up park held an event, and some businesses suffered. Or maybe we could hold it on the fields of Burgess Park?
a resident of Atherton: other
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Change...?! I fear change... and experimentation... and everything that I didn't personally approve. I'm moving to the hermetic wilderness where there are no people and nothing ever changes (?)
a resident of Woodside: Mountain Home Road
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Just one opinion - thought the money could have been spent in a much more constructive manner.
That street is a busy by way and I don't think it's fair to the neighboring businesses.
As I said, just my opinion for the feedback value.
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:32 pm
I thought the park worked well once the additional stop signs were added at the Crane Street intersection.
a resident of Menlo Park: Allied Arts/Stanford Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:45 pm
I'm glad to see the City experimenting and being creative. This pocket park was fun and I hope they bring it back next summer.
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:48 pm
It was ugly, blocked access, and appeared to me to be potentially hazardous. I saw unsupervised kids climbing & jumping over the tipped over & rickety cheap plastic yard chairs. Was there enough padding under the astroturf to prevent injuries in case of a fall?
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:56 pm
I thought it was a lovely idea, but an odd choice of location. With our real park, small as it is, but just up the street, why don't we try to make that a little more welcoming? I love the movie idea, probably best in summer, but I'm sure our crack crew can think of other additions to Fremont Park that would make it warm and welcoming. How about starting with a restroom facility? Then a movie screen. Popcorn anyone??
E
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Sep 29, 2015 at 2:37 pm
This lame set-up inconvenienced shoppers--those people who actually spend money in our city and patronize our retail.
The so-called "pop-op park" looked like a makeshift preschool play-yard in some impoverished community.
Who thinks this stuff up?
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 3:28 pm
As to movies in the small parks like Fremont. Most people bought their home next to oaks which normally are not used after sundown. They didn't buy next to movie theaters and concert venues.
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Sep 29, 2015 at 3:30 pm
That's "bought next to PARKS"
a resident of another community
on Sep 30, 2015 at 12:06 pm
The best use for the pop up park would be to move Foster's Freeze there (minus the picnic tables).
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Oct 2, 2015 at 8:18 am
If this was a trial, what were the criteria for deciding its future? Was this just a summer thing or something intended to be year-round? What uses is it supposed to support? If year-round, then the trial was way too short.
The idea of a pocket park somewhere is interesting. This is a problematic location because it affects local businesses and traffic flow. Was that ever studied?
a resident of Menlo Park: The Willows
on Oct 2, 2015 at 9:04 am
I work very close to the pop up park and at first wasn't sure if it was a good idea but it came to grow on me. I disagree with a lot of comments about parking and hurting businesses. It eliminated maybe 4 parking places but since there is a huge parking lot behind the businesses it didn't have any impact on parking. I would love to hear from the barber shop, not sure how more people right there would hurt their business, it is not like they blocked the front door.
I would love to see it come back next year and add more evening events and weekend events to get people downtown, maybe some concerts, cooking demonstrations, stand up comedy, etc. that will bring people to downtown who will then go to our local restaurants or walk up and down Santa Cruz a do a little shopping.
a resident of Atherton: West of Alameda
on Sep 27, 2017 at 7:52 pm
Due to repeated violations of our Terms of Use, comments from this poster are automatically removed. Why?
Don't miss out
on the discussion!
Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic.
Post a comment
Stay informed.
Get the day's top headlines from Almanac Online sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter.