There have been four attempts to revitalize Los Altos’ decrepit Hillview Community Center since 2000. Each has failed.
“That’s a little bit of a cloud hanging over our head,” said Maria Lonergan of the Community Center Alliance (CCA). “Our group likes to look at that as they weren’t failures – they were opportunities that taught us something.”
CCA comprises approximately 400 Los Altos residents – both supporters and opponents of Measure A, the $65 million bond defeated in 2015 – collaborating to kick-start the San Antonio Road facility’s long overdue makeover.
Lonergan, longtime Los Altos resident and chairwoman of the CCA steering committee, is determined to develop a specific and financially feasible plan for the civic center that both residents and city officials support, including the Los Altos Hills City Council, whose members listened to her pitch during their Feb. 16 meeting.
“The decisions we make now will absolutely affect every one of our residents in Los Altos and perhaps all of yours, too, over the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years,” she told councilmembers.
Learning from Measure A
Voters overwhelmingly rejected the Measure A bond to fund an overhaul of Hillview that would have resulted in a 55,600-square-foot community center and a 38,500-square-foot aquatic center; 71.11 percent of voters opposed the measure.
Measure A opponents argued that Hillview’s proposed replacement was too large, too expensive and didn’t match community priorities or needs.
CCA members have kept those criticisms in mind. In the year since forming, members have researched best practices through interviews with town planners, private planning firms, research professionals, community engagement experts and current and former Los Altos and Los Altos Hills city councilmembers. They’ve examined demographics to ensure various age groups are represented through services offered by a new facility. Members also have consulted with city staff in Menlo Park, Burlingame and San Carlos and toured their civic facilities.
“One key finding is that most of these cities felt community input was vital to garnering the support of a project,” said Nancy Phillips, CCA steering committee member. “Without the meaningful engagement of the community – led by staff and an experienced project leader – projects met with many roadblocks.”
And, according to CCA member Barbara Loebner, “community outreach and research can be accomplished efficiently most likely without causing significant delay to the project.”
Study anticipated
CCA members asked the Los Altos City Council to host a study session in the next six to eight weeks, and Lonergan said she hopes Los Altos Hills officials and residents will speak up during the meeting. The goal is to educate, encourage engagement, promote transparency and exchange ideas.
“We believe it’s critical that our council, city staff, commissions and residents align around a thorough process,” Lonergan said. “We don’t see many quick fixes in this scenario. Rather, we see taking the right amount of time to put the appropriate people, leaders, data and processes in place that will be the foundation for supporting a successful implementation.”
Hillview, constructed 70 years ago, needs an estimated $8 million in repairs, and renovating or razing and rebuilding the facility is CCA’s top priority. But a new or revamped Grant Park Community Center factors into the group’s plans as well.
Finding funding
When it comes to financing the projects, CCA leaders are exploring a variety of sources, including another bond measure, a community capital campaign, a commercial loan, grants, private donations and current Los Altos city reserves, of which approximately $30 million to $35 million could be spent on community center solutions.
Lonergan’s presentation indicated that Los Altos Hills could be tapped to contribute as well.
Los Altos Hills Councilman John Radford invited Lonergan to speak. He attended a CCA meeting last summer to share how Los Altos Hills relied on a steering committee of town officials and residents to oversee the three-year process of constructing its town hall facility, which opened in June 2005 under budget and ahead of schedule.
A lack of community support prompted Los Altos Hills officials last year to table a proposal to construct their own multipurpose facility, a $4 million, seismically sound, 6,000-square-foot building adjacent to town hall.
Radford said he and other councilmembers plan to attend future CCA study sessions. He is especially interested in the promise of services for seniors.
“I think we need to recognize that our town has a very high percentage of people in retirement age, seniors, and what Los Altos does could certainly benefit a significant proportion of Hills residents,” he said.
