July Work Day wrap-up: a muddy success

A spirited and energetic crew turned out from the neighborhood on Saturday for July's Panhandle work day. With guidance from Rec and Park staff and interns, we tackled a major eyesore and potential health hazard - standing water and mud puddles near the playground and the Ashbury cross-over paths.

We're becoming more aware that the puddle problems arise from poor drainage, malfunctioning irrigation systems, and crumbling asphalt paths. The problem is worst at Ashbury, possibly because the nexus of restrooms, and playground, and asphalt surfaces attract the greatest number of service vehicles, leading to more turf damage and soil compaction. But puddles are also found elsewhere in the park, like the ponds near Oak & Baker. Failing to address this problem puts more obstacles in the way of families getting to the playground. Stagnant water also provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which carry West Nile Virus. West Nile continues to kill people, and although illnesses and deaths in the U.S. continue to drop from the early 00's, it's active this year in Santa Clara County. But today, we still lack designs, plans, and funding for a makeover of the paths. We will need to work together to find long-term fix so that we can have a healthy park. 

Saturday's work got the attention of Bike NOPA, which has a great post and photos at its site. We also met the reporters from The Square, who put together this video.