Big things are happening at TVRPD

It was an unusually full house at the March 20 Tehachapi Valley Recreation and Park District board meeting. General Manager Michelle Vance informed the board that the Tehachapi City Council approved an investment of $15,000 to assist TVRPD with feasibility studies and a business plan for a bond measure to build a beautiful new recreation facility and upgrade existing facilities. Vance added that she had also applied for and received a grant from Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District in the amount of $25,000 to assist with the plan and it is expected that other commercial sponsors will be joining the project.

The new facility could house an indoor pool, indoor running track, conference facilities with a commercial kitchen, a day care center, STEM Center and perhaps a climbing wall, among other possibilities. The master plan would also include badly needed repairs and upgrades to TVRPD existing park facilities.

A survey conducted in 2013 showed that over 80% of the population would be in favor of supporting a recreation facility for the families of the greater Tehachapi area. Vance said that there is also a new element in Tehachapi which she calls "GAMPIES" (Growing Retired Active Moneyed People in Shape) who would also benefit from the new center.

She introduced John Isom from Isom Advisors, a Division of Urban Futures, Inc. Since 2010 this company has worked with school and park districts to assist in feasibility studies and financial planning of successful bond measures. In 2016 they were involved in 20 tax measures and assisted Hayward Park and Recreation with a bond measure. The TVRPD Board approved $7,500 for Isom to conduct a survey and voter poll followed by the development of a business plan and drafting a bond measure; all this to be completed by mid-August.

Through the survey and business plan, Isom Advisors will determine the feasibility and amount of the bond to be voted on in the Novemberr 2018 election. A 43 million dollar bond would add approximately $39 per $100,000 of assessed property value to homeowners annual tax bill.

The Board also approved contracting with Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture for the planning of the new recreation center. BRS is a firm known for designing award winning recreational and community centers in many smaller communities across America. They will hold two public meetings in Tehachapi, do a feasibility study to determine what facilities the community would consider most important, and develop a business plan for the center. A design for the recreation center would be completed by the end of August so as to be available to the public before the November election. The Board set aside a maximum of $60,000 for this process.

Camp Host recognized

Vance presented Camp Host Shirley Wagner with a Certificate of Recognition for being the friendly face at the entrance to Brite Lake. Wagner has manned the kiosk at Brite Lake for the last year.

Pro Baseball in Tehachapi?

Yes, indeed. The Pecos League asked TVRPD for a contract to hold eight games at West Park this summer. The Board approved the following dates:

Thursdays, May 31, June 7, 14, 21, 28, July 5, 12, and 19, 2018.

Adjustments to dates and practices may have to be made to accommodate the Tehachapi Little League schedule.

Stay tuned!