What do you want to see in your neighborhood park? As we are finalizing our plans that will prepare the construction bid for the Marlin Park Playground Renovation Project (Yay!), we are ready to launch the public outreach workshops for Mezes and Jardin de Niños Park Renovations!
The first workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 26th, and the second on November 16th. We want neighbors and park users to get involved by offering suggestions for how we can improve the parks.
For both of the main workshops, we will:
Present in both English and Spanish
Provide tasty snacks and beverages
Have a Kids Zone (recreation staff will be on hand)
Start at 5:30pm for Jardin de Niños and we will meet at Tapestry Church (which is right down the street from the park at 1305 Middlefield Road)
Start at 7:00pm for Mezes and we will meet at Orion School (which is right down the street from the park at 815 Allerton Street)
The Circus is HERE! Redwood City is proud to welcome, Zoppé, An Italian Family Circus from October 14th through October 23rd for spectacular two-hour performances that will enthrall the entire family! The Circus tent will be set up next to the Downtown Library at 1044 Middlefield Road in Redwood City and will host matinee and evening performances.
Nino and Julian {Photo by RickPurdue}
The Zoppé Family Circus welcomes guests into the intimate 500 seat tent for a one-ring circus that honors the best history of the Old-World Italian tradition. Starring Nino the clown, the circus is propelled by a central story (as opposed to individual acts) that feature acrobatic feats, equestrian showmanship, canine capers, clowning and plenty of audience participation. Giovanni Zoppé, the sixth-generation circus performer who plays Nino, says the show aims higher than what passes for circuses these days. “We try to touch every emotion during the show,” he says. “They’ll laugh, they’ll cry, and they’ll feel for the characters. It’s more of an event than a show.”
Giovanni revived the Zoppé Family Circus in America four years ago, and has since been building its reputation with audiences and critics as an enchanting exhibition of traditional European circus. The Zoppé Circus evokes something from a picture book: the clown, the trapeze, the dancing dogs, the ring and the tent, created to be reminiscent of the one-ring European family circuses of the last century and will thrill and amaze children and adults alike with its breathtaking stunts and astonishing acrobatics. Plus, Zoppé brings a new thrilling act this year, the Rosales Family from Mexico City, Mexico, a family of acrobats and jugglers including 8 year old twin boys who will melt your hearts. The Zoppé Family Circus is a once-a-year event not to be missed, so get your tickets early!
350 motorcyclists turned out for the 7th Annual Poker Run!
Record-Breaking Turnout for Motorcycle Poker Run – $40,000 Raised for San Mateo County Kids
Redwood City, CA – A record-breaking crowd turned out for the 7th Annual Redwood City Poker Run on Saturday, May 14. An incredible total of 350 motorcyclists and guests showed up on over 300 motorcycles to raise money for Redwood City’s After School Sports Programs, including Redwood City Police Activities League and Redwood City Parks & Recreation, as well as the San Mateo County Sheriffs Activities League. The entire goal of the event is to help children in San Mateo County, and this event really accomplished that, having raised nearly $40,000 for that great cause!
Jason Pullen, Motorcycle Stunt Rider
The economic situation today is particularly challenging for many kids growing up in San Mateo County, and they need the community’s help more than ever. This annual motorcycle ride fundraiser is a great way a lot of folks to give back to the community, while having a great time. The fundraising ride was assisted by the California Highway Patrol, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, and put together with the dedicated work of many great volunteers. The main sponsors of this fabulous fundraiser are Dudley Perkins Co. and the Golden Gate Harley Owners Group (HOG) Chapter.
It was a beautiful ride up Highway 35 and along the beautiful San Mateo County coastline, and this year included a surprise guest, stunt motorcycle rider Jason Pullen, to add a little more excitement to the day. The prize drawing included fabulous items such as a 42-inch flat screen, and a several of sets of new tires. The entire event was a great success, and most importantly raised significant funds for kids in San Mateo County.
The official event website is redwoodcitypokerrun.com where there is more information about this wonderful annual fundraiser.
Where did my socks go? Sometimes it’s the dryer, but maybe… it’s this little guy!
Dusty the Klepto Cat's Mug Shot
Dusty the Klepto Cat is one of our local celebrities and possibly San Mateo County’s Most Wanted Crook! Dusty has appeared on Animal Planet, The David Letterman Show, CNN, KGO and will now be riding through the 10th Annual Pet Parade this Saturday, along with many of the items that he has stolen from his neighbors throughout the years. You can see Dusty in action on You Tube (of course) stalking his neighborhood for goodies, courtesy of Animal Planet. So if you cannot find your left running shoe, your child’s stuffy or your UNDERWEAR, you may want to rethink… “Did I lose that?” or was it “DUSTY THE KLEPTO CAT!?”
More Information About the Pet Parade…
THIS WEEKEND! 10th Annual Pet Parade
Saturday, May 21 from 11:00am – 3:00pm
on Courthouse Square – 2200 Broadway St. Redwood City (MAP)
The parade itself starts at 12:00 pm, but you should definitely show up at 11 am for this wildly popular annual event. There are going to be over 90 vendor booths and a lot of fun activities – this just might be the biggest Pet Parade event ever! We will be calling the Guinness Book!
Pony rides – petting zoo – Monterey Bay Aquarium virtual aquarium builder – a Game Truck full of video games and other activities – the performing Sky Dogs – Peninsula Humane Society mobile adoption van – photos with your pets with Posh Pooch Portraits – caricature artists – paw print art projects – a how-to for throwing a party for your pet (!)- food and beverage vendors – lots of booths with great stuff for you and your pet (how about matching outfits?) – a variety of pet rescue groups – and don’t forget the great Downtown restaurants all around!
The entire community is invited – children, adults, and families can enjoy the fun events and festive atmosphere, and sign up (in advance, or by 11:30 that day) to show off their pets, whether furry, feathered, or scaled, vying for a $100 Grand Prize for the top winner.
Get your registration form at RedwoodCityEvents.com, or contact: Jeri Joseph-Hover at 650.369.9010 or brightonrwc@aol.com. There is a $5 entry fee for each pet to be judged in a contest, but there is no fee to walk along and be part of the Pet Parade.
This event is sponsored by Redwood City Parks and Recreation Department, Redwood City Redevelopment Agency, and the Civic Cultural Commission.
An extensive research study asked California citizens and public officials “Why are parks important to you?” The research, sponsored by the California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS), a nonprofit, professional and public interest organization with more than 4,000 members, was used to develop the first-ever brand of the profession. “Parks Make Life Better!” is now being launched by CPRS members statewide, including the City of Redwood City.
Overwhelmingly, survey respondents value parks and recreation as an essential community service. Virtually every California household (98%) reported visiting a park during the past year. Forty-two percent visited a park at least several days a week; 26% visited at least once a week, and 68% visited at least monthly. Of these, 55% go with spouse or partner, 53% with kids, 48% with family, 46% with a friend. Only 5% of the users indicated they go alone.
CPRS used the research findings to develop the first-ever brand promise and brand identity for parks and recreation. The brand promise incorporates the benefits Californians reported as most important; the many ways parks and recreation make their lives and communities better. Specifically, parks and recreation make life better now and in the future by providing:
Access to the serenity and inspiration of nature
Outdoor space to play and exercise
Facilities for self-directed and organized recreation
Positive alternatives for youth which help lower crime and mischief
Activities that facilitate social connections, human development, therapy, the arts and lifelong learning
In short, parks and recreation services make Californians’ lives better.
How does parks and recreation make your life better?
PLAY Safe, outdoor space
For us, the biggest benefit is a safe, outdoor play space for our kids today…and as they grow.
NATURE Beauty and serenity
Being in nature makes one feel alive. We’re very fortunate to have beautiful spaces so close to home.
EXERCISE Healthy movement
Parks are made for moving at your own pace. And, recreation programs make it easy to stay healthy.
POSITIVE SPACES Free-time fun
Neighborhood parks are an escape, a place to run around and play.
GATHERING PLACES Socializing and learning
Parks are like holidays, bringing us together to share good times. They are the common ground that connects us all.
FOREVER Valued today and always
Parks enrich our lives. They add value to our homes and neighborhoods. Individually and as a community, we’ll always have that need.
Come out and enjoy any one of Redwood City’s 30 parks and hundreds of recreation programs and services that are offered by our Department. Please go to www.redwoodcity.org/parks for more information.
How AWESOME is Andy Z & The Andyland Band’s, Pumpkin Patch video? Show it to your kids and get them revved up for Saturday’s Concert (see below).
If you are saying to yourself…”WHO IS ANDY Z?” our guess is that you do not have a young child. That aside, Andreas Zamenes, aka Andy Z, has been entertaining children up and down the Peninsula, around the Bay Area, at Birthday Parties galore and more recently over the airwaves of internet radio, Pandora! Whether he’s gracing us with his repertoire of “Kindie” Rock, with hilarious original songs influenced by the likes of Smashmouth and Bob Marley or leading a group of exuberant little fans around our Courthouse Square akin to a modern day Pied Piper, Andy Z is sure to not only entertain your family, but bring out your inner-child.
Why do WE love Andy Z so much?
He takes our children away from our their iPads and Televisions and into the imaginary world of Andyland.
He gives us songs that can bridge the gap between classic childrens music and something we actually might CHOOSE to listen to!
Getting into an Andy Z show is much easier than landing tickets to American Idol…oh and did I mention…usually FREE!
Andy z and The Andyland Band don’t just sing songs, but put on a REAL INTERACTIVE SHOW, complete with kids in costume and dare I say Mob Dances? Well maybe that is a little extreme, but his Rendition of Sticky Sticky Bubble Gum sure gets those kids up and moving!
Not to worry! The word on the street is that he is expanding his reach to “Tweeners” (kids ages 8-12) with his newest Halloween Adventure themed album, due out on October 1, 2011. You can look forward to many many more years with Andy Z!
Mother Love Fitness Challengers flexing their hard work!
So… you had a baby. You long for the days of your high school figure – which you may not have even liked back then, but now wish you had it back! This new little person in your life has trumped EVERYTHING, including your will and energy to get out and get your body back. You dread the idea of stepping foot into a gym and feeling like you wish you had a shirt that read, “I JUST HAD A BABY, OKAY!”
WHAT IF, there were a group of women just like you? WHAT IF, you could workout WITH your baby, and not stress about your baby in gym childcare during your entire workout. We know many gyms have great child care, but as a new Mom, it is stressful to leave your baby for the first time. Mommies, there is a solution. There are a variety of Stroller-based fitness programs to help jump-start your fitness regimen. Not only will they help you to achieve your fitness goals, but you will be surrounded with the support of other women who are sharing your same experiences.
Christy "Big Guns" Doyle
Christy Doyle, our resident BABY BOOT CAMP Trainer and Mommy Warrior, has been running this popular parent/child, strength training program in our own, Red Morton Park for several years. She recently recruited her own class participants to compete in a National Baby Boot Camp Competition entitled, MOTHER LOVE FITNESS CHALLENGE. Wait… didn’t these Moms have babies recently? YES THEY DID!
Mommies across the nation committed to 3 months of regular exercise, to then compete to become the nations “Fittest Mom” and win monthly prizes for their efforts. The outcome? Our own Kaycie Wall did 1,800 non-stop jump squats at Red Morton to take the National top spot! The Redwood City crew actually took the whole category with two other Redwood City Moms doing 1,758 and 1,600 non-stop jump squats! We also had one Mommy win “Most-Improved” in the push-up category. Day one, she struggled to do one push-up. Thirty days later, she did 10 of them! Red Morton Park has proven to be a fantastic park to work up a sweat! Congrats to our AWESOME MOMS! Come join us, your first class is FREE!
How can I participate?
Baby Boot Camp meets on Tuesdays & Thursdays in Red Morton Park (adding a Friday class at the end of the month!) and at Clifford Elementary School on Saturdays. All classes are at 9:30am. Click here for complete registration information.
What do I need to get started?
YOU NEED: Water bottle, mat or towel WHAT YOUR CHILD NEEDS: Stroller, snacks, toys, sun block, diapers, hat, blanket
Last year, the children of the Sandpiper Youth Club Program in Redwood Shores, wanted to do something for the victims of the Haiti Earthquake. They of course did what they knew best…have a bake sale! A goal of $1000 was set, and in less than 3 hours, they accomplished it! The recent devastation in Japan prompted our program’s fearless leader, Telisha “I came to teach you” Brent to embark on a repeat performance. Armed with homemade flyers and enthusiasm, the staff and children promoted their sale for Tsunami/Earthquake Relief on the Monday prior to Friday’s sale. They informed the community and the school, and asked for donations of baked goods or cash to support their endeavor. Our staff also agreed to bake cookies, cupcakes, brownies, etc. in the name of charity, on their own time.
Over 25 parents brought baked goods from home and Telisha “I reach out to my friends” Brent tapped into her network and was able to secure 100 more cupcakes from a friend of hers who was interning at a bakery! They had over 500 cupcakes alone! Our kids were somewhat saddened on the day of the main event, when the weather became extremely uncooperative which unfortunately added some poetic justice to the cause. Gale force winds, sheets of rain and even a TORNADO WARNING (what???) stood in the way of their hopes, but did not discourage their efforts in the least. The Bake Sale had less exposure to passers-by, as it had to be relocated indoors. Surprisingly, the act of charity prevailed and approximately 300 people purchased or just made a donation to the cause.
This time, the children had set a goal of $1500 and were recognizably excited about donating, and at times, buying a couple of items and paying with a $20 and donating the change. The outcome? They raised a whopping $1042 for Japan Relief Efforts.
Besides raising money to help those in need, Telisha feels strongly, that “events like these are important to involve children in to teach them a sense of compassion. The children were willing and eager to help, and to be honest…that was just as important as the money they raised.” They had a sense of pride and a strong feeling that they too have made a difference.
Ahhh… the wind in their hair, the smell of fresh air, getting their hearts pumping while keeping their fingers from texting… such great benefits can be attained through the extremely accessible sport of running! Running doesn’t require expensive equipment, just a pair of good shoes and a desire to get out there and do one’s best!
Ready, Set, Run is a “character building” running program for Boys and Girls, ages 8-13, that will prepare kids to participate in a 5K (3.1 mile) run—The Redwood City 4TH OF JULY FUN RUN!
Participants will receive 12 weeks of running instruction, a training manual, t-shirt, and enrollment into the Redwood City, 4th of July Fun Run.
COST: $25.00
Topics Covered: Proper physical training and nutrition, goal-setting, confidence, peer pressure, self-esteem, respecting authority, etc.
MANDATORY PARENT ORIENTATION: MARCH 24TH @ 6PM RED MORTON CENTER.
Program Days/Dates: April 4th-July 4th Mondays & Wednesdays
Times: 4pm-5:30pm (No class 4/18-2/22)
Location: Kennedy Middle School (Stulsaft/Sequoia HS)
We are very excited about offering this new program to the youth of Redwood City! If you have any questions, please contact Erin Niemeyer at 650.780.7335.
We take safety very seriously. When we were made aware of a potential problem in our sand play area at Stafford Park back in January of 2009, we addressed this issue head on. Collectively, our staff felt that the right thing to do was to test the sand to see if indeed there was a problem. We found out there was – presence of what we considered high levels of e.coli – and we closed that portion of the park to correct it. We even went so far as to test other sand areas in our parks to ensure that these were safe. Most were, but we did find that we had an issue at Maddux Park as well.
We focused on these two parks by removing the sand and replacing it with large coarse sand, and when e.coli returned, we tried different approaches. From changing the drainage, treating the sand, turning off the water, and incorporating daily screening of the sand, high levels of e.coli returned inconsistently over the past two years. We felt that it wasn’t fair to our park users to come to a park where a portion of it was often closed. We needed to replace the sand play areas at these two parks with something else that still had a “high play value” for children.
The result after two community meetings held at each park was to transform the sand areas into tot water play areas.
We’re happy to report that Maddux Park is now re-opened! The initial reports for our little users are clear through their smiles as they run through the “spitting frogs”.
We’re also very close in re-opening the tot area at Stafford Park. The contractor is finishing up the “punch-list” items and we’ll open as soon as our high standards are met (again, it should be opened soon!).
Thank you for your patience through this project.
CHRIS BETH Parks, Recreation & Community Services Director
