Published in the March 30 – April 12, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Marty Cheek
Marty Cheek, publisher Morgan Hill Life
For a few years in the mid-1990s I lived in London while I worked as the European bureau chief for an international news service. During my time in England’s capitol, I fell in love with the ancient city for many reasons. Top among them was its diversity of urban nature areas such as public parks, commons and woods.
The company based me in Highgate, an affluent district in northern London adjacent to an immense nature park called Hampstead Heath. On occasions after a long day’s work during the spring and summer months, I took a leisurely stroll through the 790-acre park, watching rugby matches or simply sitting on a bench on Parliament Hill and gazing at a panoramic vista of a skyline accented with city of London skyscrapers and St. Paul’s Cathedral. A 10-minute walk from my flat took me to two urban getaway parks that originally were part of the ancient Forest of Middlesex. These were Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood. A stroll under birds singing atop the arching oak branches made the hustle and bustle of the city fade far away.
A minute’s walk from my flat was an entrance to the Parkland Walk, a 4.5-mile linear green nature trail built on disused railway line from Highgate to Finsbury Park. A leisurely walk or run through a straight course took me under Victorian bridge arches and gave me splendid views of the neighborhood homes that lined it. I also took a short walk to Waterlow Park located near Highgate Village. This small park was given as a gift to the people of London by Sir Sydney Waterlow in 1889 to serve as a “garden for the gardenless.” Sometimes, I would spend a late afternoon hour peering at the ducks bathing in the ponds or reading Dickens on a bench placed along the flower beds.
I fondly recalled the parks of London when this month my term as a member of the Morgan Hill Parks and Recreation Commission came to an end. After serving as a commissioner for eight years, I decided not to re-apply. During the many PRC meetings, I listened to reports from city staff or nonprofit organizations about the development of parks in the city.
Morgan Hill is blessed with many fine parks and recreation opportunities. Our Outdoors Sports Center and Aquatics Center have become nationally-known destinations for soccer matches and other field sports tournaments as well as swim meets.
The Community and Cultural Center has a verdant lawn that forms a charming downtown park for people to enjoy, with a small playground hidden in one corner for families with young children. And the Centennial Recreation Center is located next to Community Park, with a creekside trail that has several sculptures representing local wild animals.
Public parks and nature preserves add to the quality of life for the residents and visitors of a city. People living near parks and trails have opportunities to be physically active by running, walking, biking or participating in other heart happy activities. Parks also provide psychological benefits for people when they get outdoors and connect with nature under sunshine skies.
Well-maintained city parks promote community engagement and civic pride. Neighborhood parks and community gardens can help connect individuals of various ages and ethnic backgrounds who share a goal of protecting and enhancing their natural surroundings. And parks can add to the economy of an area by attracting visitors who want to discover a city’s natural features and stay to enjoy lunch or dinner at a local restaurant and shop at the local stores.
As I end my time on the PRC, I must honestly say Morgan Hill has done well with following a vision of creating a community with a variety of public parks and recreation opportunities.
There is, however, much that can still be done. Among projects envisioned for the coming years, the one I especially look forward to observing are three new parks developed in the downtown district, including an exercise par course atop Nob Hill where the water tank is located. I also see the evolution of Galvan Park into a community park better serving the families living in that section of town as well as nearby schools. And the Inclusive Playground Project planned for Community Park, which will require $4 million of fundraising to build, will be a highlight of our city’s recreation opportunities, bringing in families from all over the South Valley region.
One minor project I have encouraged is increasing the bicycling tourism opportunities in Morgan Hill. At several PRC meetings, I suggested the idea of connecting downtown Morgan Hill with the southern end of the Coyote Creek Parkway, a paved 15-mile bicycle and walking trail that links our community with the heart of San Jose. We can provide signage and printed maps for bicyclists coming from San Jose to continue another 3.3 miles and enjoy a light lunch or coffee chat with friends at downtown’s restaurants and cafes.
There are many other opportunities to enhance our community’s quality of life with parks and outdoor recreation. I encourage all residents to discover the neighborhood and community parks located throughout Morgan Hill — and to be active to enhance recreational opportunities in the coming years.
