Panel: Park will see the light
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Pat Butler
A couple walks past Calanan Park, which is considered to be part of the entryway to Nevada City.
Nevada City takes another crack at fixing one its most vexing problems
By Pat Butler
Nevada City Advocate
It’s going to be different this time, they vow.
Calanan Park, a small piece of land along the entryway to Nevada City’s historic downtown district, has been a source of consternation and irritation for decades.
Suspected drug dealing, trash, cigarette butts and some of the people who spend time there cast a shadow that many would like to see cleared up.
“It’s the gateway to our town, and now it’s dark and foreboding. We want to make it a welcoming park,” said Gary Tintle, one of the eight members of the Calanan Park Committee.
Beach Hut Deli owner Cindy Smith said the park is more than a physical blight.
“I see pot smoking every day,” said Smith, whose deli faces the park. “I’ve found syringes on my patio and underneath the garage. There’s fights over there constantly. They harass our customers. Older people park right next to the park and they go up and bang on windows. They’re afraid.”
Vice Mayor Robert Bergman said the committee is committed to remaking the park, which has been stuck in its current state for decades.
“I saw a report written 10 years ago,” said Tintle, who owns property adjacent to and across the street from the park. “It could have been written yesterday. Nothing’s changed.”
Bergman, who is the chairman of the committee, said the group has been meeting since June and hopes to issue a preliminary report by September to the City Council. The report, he said, will likely include a design plan, cost estimates and a recommendation that some historical artifacts like the Shaft Drill Core be removed.
“The energy and the commitment of this committee is there this time,” he said. “There’s no reason other than funding that we can’t get this done.”
Preliminary plans call for changing the look and feel of the park. Committee members have talked about removing bushes and artifacts and trimming the towering trees to allow more light into the park.
“The target is to make it more attractive. It’s all closed in now,” said Bergman, adding the committee would like to see Calanan Park become a venue for small concerts and special events.
Bergman said the committee is not looking at proposing new ordinances specifically aimed at Calanan Park, although it may recommend the City Council ban smoking in all city parks. The vice mayor said he saw no reason for the city to consider a loitering ordinance.
“I personally don’t think hanging out in a park is loitering,” he said. “You go to a park to loiter.”
Bergman also defended the efforts of police.
“If there’s nothing to enforce, they can only tell them they shouldn’t be there,” he said.
Bergman said the committee believes that a more open and useful park will discourage the kind of activity that concerns residents and business owners alike.
“You have to create the space and to a certain degree the uses evolve,” he said.
Karin Kaufman, a landscape architect, is one of the committee members. Her job is to take the committee’s vision and create a blueprint for the park’s future.
Kaufman said the park is small enough to be comfortable, yet large enough to handle special events. She said the park also is 10 feet higher at the Broad Street entrance than at the Union Street entrance, which means it would not be difficult to have two levels.
“I’m really excited about it. I think it will be wonderful entrance to Nevada City,” she said.
Beach Hut Deli owner Smith said she hopes that will be the case.
“I don’t know what the answer should be, but I know something needs to be done,” she said.
have been written yesterday. Nothing’s changed.”
Bergman, who is the chairman of the committee, said the group has been meeting since June and hopes to issue a preliminary report by September to the City Council. The report, he said, will likely include a design plan, cost estimates and a recommendation that some historical artifacts like the Shaft Drill Core be removed.
“The energy and the commitment of this committee is there this time,” he said. “There’s no reason other than funding that we can’t get this done.”
Preliminary plans call for changing the look and feel of the park. Committee members have talked about removing bushes and artifacts and trimming the towering trees to allow more light into the park.
“The target is to make it more attractive. It’s all closed in now,” said Bergman, adding the committee would like to see Calanan Park become a venue for small concerts and special events.
Bergman said the committee is not looking at proposing new ordinances specifically aimed at Calanan Park, although it may recommend the City Council ban smoking in all city parks. The vice mayor said he saw no reason for the city to consider a loitering ordinance.
“I personally don’t think hanging out in a park is loitering,” he said. “You go to a park to loiter.”
Bergman also defended the efforts of police.
“If there’s nothing to enforce, they can only tell them they shouldn’t be there,” he said.
Bergman said the committee believes that a more open and useful park will discourage the kind of activity that concerns residents and business owners alike.
“You have to create the space and to a certain degree the uses evolve,” he said.
Karin Kaufman, a landscape architect, is one of the committee members. Her job is to take the committee’s vision and create a blueprint for the park’s future.
Kaufman said the park is small enough to be comfortable, yet large enough to handle special events. She said the park also is 10 feet higher at the Broad Street entrance than at the Union Street entrance, which means it would not be difficult to have two levels.
“I’m really excited about it. I think it will be wonderful entrance to Nevada City,” she said.
Beach Hut Deli owner Smith said she hopes that will be the case.
“I don’t know what the answer should be, but I know something needs to be done,” she said.
Street Reporter Melody Suzanne contributed to this story.
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