The most exciting project this year is the completion of the Magical Bridge inclusive playground

Morgan Hill Life file photo
Ron and Shirlee Locicero in front of the sign at Morgan Hill Community Park where the Magical Bridge Playground  is completing construction.

By Christina Turner

Christina Turner

The year 2022 is looking bright for Morgan Hill. From street improvements, opening new parks, safekeeping the community, protecting the environment, preserving lands that create jobs, addressing homelessness, and redrawing the city council’s district boundaries, the city of Morgan Hill is hard at work for the community.

The Hale Avenue Expansion Project will continue throughout 2022, and we expect the Downtown Depot Street realignment to be underway by springtime.

However, the most exciting project this year is the completion of the Magical Bridge, the city’s first inclusive playground! The Magical Bridge Playground is in Community Park and will provide families and people of all abilities the chance to play together by early 2022.

Keeping the community safe is a priority for the city. During the past couple of years, we have seen an increase in our unhoused community, coupled with increased mental health issues. The Morgan Hill Police Department is implementing a wide range of new tools to address crime in our community. The police department has partnered with a full time licensed mental health clinician to respond to mental health calls for service. This year, through a grant, we have hired an unhoused specialist dedicated to connecting our unhoused community to services and resources. Other programs to support our youth and businesses include the Youth Diversion Program and the new Cadet Ambassador Program.

Through the innovative work of our fire department, Morgan Hill now has its own ambulance to provide services to the community.

In an emergency event, patient outcomes heavily depend on ambulance response time. This ambulance will provide an opportunity to mitigate delays in ambulance response and free the initial responding engine for other calls.

A wide range of policy efforts will be underway this year, including implementing a new Climate Action Plan, which focuses on reducing CO2 emissions in the transportation and building sectors. The plan was created in conjunction with a community working group led by Youth Climate Action Student Leaders.

Other efforts include protecting job lands with a robust industrial land preservation effort to attract medical, office, and advanced manufacturing jobs while protecting our limited inventory from stand-alone, e-commerce uses.

Finally, like many cities throughout the state, Morgan Hill is required to review and, if necessary, adjust the district boundaries to account for growth, population changes, and new state and federal laws by April 17, before the next election of council members in November.

The community is invited to help develop new district maps by engaging with us at  www.morganhillredistricting2021.com.

Although we are still experiencing the ups and downs of COVID, the city has safely continued reopening many recreation programs and services. For those of you whose New Year’s resolution is to get in shape or stay active, check out the many opportunities the city has to offer at www.morgan-hill.ca.gov/285/Recreation-Activity-Guide.

Finally, as we enter 2022, the city of Morgan Hill thanks the community for their hard work in conserving water and asks you to keep up the excellent work in the new year!

Christina Turner is the city manager for Morgan Hill. She wrote this column for Morgan Hill Life.