2 • Parks, Open Space & Cultural Services As summer ends, we reflect on good times spent under the sun with family and friends, outdoors in our beautiful parks and public spaces. These past few months we celebrated as a community with movies in the parks, the 4th of July Free Swim event at Simpkins Swim Center, free events every day during the month of July to highlight “July as Parks & Recreation Month” and then concluding with another amazing collaboration on the Free Family Fun Day event, hosted this year by our friends at the City of Watsonville Parks and Community Services. As we head into the fall season, we are looking forward to working with Parks staff and the community on updating our strategic plan, continuing our awesome programs and renting out our amazing facilities. We will be continuing our efforts for increased awareness and education offerings surrounding stewardship, youth programs and opportunities in our open spaces. We are also very excited about the new Live Oak Library Annex located at the Simpkins Family Swim and Live Oak Community Center, funded primarily by Santa Cruz Public Libraries Measure S funds. The best is yet to come with this project as we move forward together on coordinating the programming and planning for use of the amazing new outdoor plaza area and community rooms. Please be patient with the construction occurring in the area when visiting the Swim Center or Parks offices. Additionally, County Parks is proud to partner with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District as we assist them with the administration of their grant for Extended Learning Opportunity Programs. Together we will provide free and subsidized programming before and after school at our current After School Childcare Enrichment sites. Lastly, we continue to work with the Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and our non-profit partner County Park Friends, raising funds and completing phased updates to Willowbrook County Park in Honor of Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller. This will include construction of a new memorial seating area, flagpole, updated landscaping, a new playground and play surfacing. There are still opportunities for you to be a part of this legacy project by visiting coutnyparkfriends.org/willowbrook.html County Parks continues to offer high quality recreation programs for all ages, including youth sports, active adult fitness courses, and amazing reservable facilities, all maintained by our amazing Parks Maintenance staff and County Park Volunteers – thank you! All my best, Rebecca Hurley FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT Rebecca Hurley
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