Vasona Lake Accessibility Project: Next steps

As we reported last month, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to make Vasona Lake’s boating center accessible and ADA-compliant by funding the $560,000 project. NorCal SCI played the lead role in lobbying for this project and we plan on being actively involved in the process up through its completion.

One of the areas of concern we raised immediately with the Board, as well as the County’s Parks & Recreation Dept. (the lead agency responsible for this project), was the excessively-long estimated time of completion, two to four-and-a-half years. Another area that we raised with the Parks & Rec Dept. involved how individuals with physical disabilities will use the facility. Right now, the very initial plan is to build a self-launched area and equipment which is impossible for those with mobility challenges to enjoy the lake independently. We have raised this issue as loud as possible and it’s been recognized.

The project manager notified us via e-mail last week that in the next 3-4 months, they will first select a consultant and the project agreement executed.  The consultant’s works will include the dredging feasibility study and the design for a new ADA-compliant dock. Once the consultant is on board, a meeting to have the design team meet with appropriate community groups, such as NorCal SCI, will be held in order to solicit community input on the design. That meeting would most likely be scheduled in June/July.

In the meantime, we will lobby the Supervisors once again to pressure Parks & Rec Dept. to accelerate the project and we will keep reporting on this matter when we have appropriate updates to share.