Ojai Skate Park Updates

Skate Park Update - May 19, 2010:

The construction fence for the project staging area will be installed on Monday, May 24 at the skate park. The fence will encompass the entire Park N Ride lot. “No Parking” signs have been posted. The demolition and grading work will start shortly thereafter.

Skate Park update 4/15/10:

* The City Council authorized staff to re-bid the project on March 23; bids are now being accepted and are due to be opened April 28 at 11:00 am.

* The Arts Commission approved the public art work and design which was donated by Ted Gall at their March 18 meeting.

* The City Council adopted the Skate Park rules, municipal code and ordinance at the April 13 meeting, thereby completing the administrative timeline for the stake park project.

* The City Council will consider award of bid at the May 11 City Council meeting.

Skate Park update 3/23/10:

The skate park is closed due to repairs until further notice, as per our current practice.

The Art Commission approved the public art for the skate park at their meeting last week.

At this evenings City Council meeting there are two items regarding the skate park:

1. PUBLIC HEARING

Ordinance Text Amendment to Title 3, Chapter 7 of the Ojai Municipal Code Regarding Regulations for Use of City Skateboard Park (TA 10-01) and Skateboard Park Rules & Regulations for Posting at the Skateboard Park

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Conduct a public hearing to review Ordinance Text Amendment (TA 10-01), which deletes and replaces certain language in Title 3, Chapter 7 of the Ojai Municipal Code regarding regulations for use of the City Skateboard Park; and

2. Approve the proposed Ojai Skateboard Park Rules & Regulations; and

3. Accept the CEQA Categorical Exemption for TA 10-01; and

4. Approve Ta 10-01 and conduct the first reading of the Ordinance by title only, and pass to second reading on April 13, 2010.

2. DISCUSSION ITEMS

Ojai Skate Park Project (PW 2010-01)

RECOMMENDATION: Designate the Ojai Skate Park Project as Project PW 2010-01, according to the plans and specifications as approved by the City Building Official, and authorize the Public Works Director to call for bids and to make any non-substantive modifications to the design in order to facilitate engineering, environmental, and/or economic issues should any arise.

Progress Update: January 25, 2010

Here's a re-cap of recent progress on the Skate Park Project:

Bids were opened today for the construction of the new Skate Park. The City Council will now consider award of bid at its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 26, which begins at 7:30 p.m.
Please refer to the timeline on the City website for further information on the construction schedule
City and School District staff are meeting to discuss design and operational issues, including the Skate Park Rules.

October 27, 2009

The plans are complete! The City’s planning department has indicated that all plans and specs on the last submission of the skate park plans have been approved. So let’s get ready to build!!
Four of the six contractors submitting pre-qualification questionnaires have been determined as pre-qualified to bid on the project. One of the two disqualified contractors has asked for an appeal, and a final decision will be made by the end of the week.
City and School staff are meeting to discuss design and operational issues, including the Skate Park Rules, and hope to have more to report in the near future.
The project is currently on schedule per the approved timeline (see link below), and pre-bid conference with qualified bidders is currently scheduled for November 17, 2009.
The grand opening for the park is anticipated for early June 2010. Construction on the park is scheduled to begin just after January 1, 2010.

October 7, 2009:

Here's a re-cap of recent progress on the Skate Park Project:

* Pre-Qualification Questionnaires for the right to bid as a prime contractor or sub contractor for the “Ojai Skate Park Project” were distributed September 1. The notice was posted in the Ojai Valley News on September 4 and 9, and in the Ventura County Star on September 10.

* Sealed questionnaires were received on September 24 by the City. City staff is currently evaluating the submissions. Those who qualify will then be invited to submit bids on the project.

* Finalized plans for the Skate Park, including engineer's endorsements, have been submitted to the City's planning department for their review.

* City and School staff are meeting to discuss design and operational issues, including the Skate Park Rules, and to prepare an amended lease agreement for the facility.

* Progress on the project is currently on schedule per the approved timeline

* The grand opening for the park is anticipated for early June 2010. Construction on the park is scheduled to begin just after January 1, 2010.

September 11, 2009

1. A notice inviting pre-qualification questionnaires to “pre-qualify” the right to bid as a prime contractor or sub contractor for the “Ojai Skate Park Project” was sent out September 1, 2009.

The notice was posted in the Ojai Valley News on September 4 and 9, 2009 and in the Ventura County Star on September 10, 2009.

The deadline to submit the sealed questionnaires to the City Clerk is Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 10:00 am. The pre-qualification questionnaires will be opened on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 10:00 am in the Ojai City Council Chambers located at 401 S. Ventura Street. To request a copy of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, contact Dale Sumersille at (805) 646-1872 ext. 302.

2. A Structural Engineer was retained. The electrical aspect of the plans have been completed, and will now be submitted to review with the next plan check.

3. The Parks & Recreation Commission approved the proposed Skate Park Rules, Municipal Code and Ordinances as presented at their August 27, 2009 meeting. The documents will now be submitted to the Ojai Unified School District for review and subsequently to the City Council for adoption.

August 27, 2009

The timeline was changed based on a review of all involved (City, Skate Ojai and the Design Team) last Thursday. As noted, the new Grand Opening is June 5. The date is riskier than the earlier date, in that the construction is now in the January – May timeframe, which is more vulnerable to weather delays. With that in mind, the group is confident in the new date. View the New Timeline »

July 27, 2009

An impressive article in The View tells the whole story and the background of why we don't have a skate park in Ojai yet. Check it out »

July 17, 2009

The following has been accomplished:

Design Team submitted "90 percent" construction plans to the Community Development Dept. for review. Plans may change depending on the review process.
The Planning Commission approved the Design Review Permit for the Park at its July 1 meeting; the Ojai Unified School District has appealed the decision to the City Council. The matter is expected to be heard by the City Council at its July 28 meeting.
The City has received a response from the School District regarding exercising the City’s option for an additional 3,500 sq ft. for the park, which led to…
The City Council creating an ad-hoc committee to meet with two OUSD board members and staff to discuss concerns expressed in the response letter.

At the May 26 City Council meeting the Council adopted the staff recommendations and:

1. Officially designated the Ojai Skate Park Project; and

2. Directed staff and legal counsel to prepare and send a letter to Ojai Unified School District to exercise the option for an additional 3,500 sq. ft. for the Project; and

3. Directed staff/design team to prepare construction documents for the Project; and

4. Directed staff to prepare and submit a Design Review Permit Application to the Planning Commission; and

5. Directed staff to request that Skate Ojai submit all monies raised for the project to the City by June 18, with the funds to be placed in a designated Skate Park fund.

Staff will be sending out monthly updates, and is working on creating a page on the City Website for more information as the project progresses!

Feb. 10, 2009: Ojai City Council awarded a contract to Community Works Design Group to be the project and construction manager of the skate park project!

The role of the project and construction manager is to make sure that the project keeps moving forward and to ensure that the project stays within its available timeline and budget. Community Works is the same firm that worked on the Fillmore Skate Park and is currently working on the Moorpark Skate Park project.

Ventura County Star:

Wendy Hilgers, 67, a tiny Ojai grandmother, was among a jubilant standing-room-only crowd last week when Ojai city leaders agreed to renovate the city's decaying skate park.

The unanimous vote Tuesday night at a joint meeting of the City Council, Planning Commission, and Parks and Recreation Commission charted an aggressive course: A professional skate park designer is expected to be hired next Tuesday, plans are to be adopted by October, and construction could begin in January and be completed by April. Read More »

Skate Park Approved!!

Jubilation erupted at the close of the two-in-half hour joint Ojai City Council, Ojai Planning Commission, and Ojai Parks and Recreation Commission meeting tonight. The Ojai City Council approved moving forward with an "in ground skate park that is a minimum of 10,000 square feet at the current location." The vote was unanimous and next week a design firm will be selected. Significant kudos goes out to the City Council, Skate Ojai, and all the public who showed up and spoke at the meeting. At times it was emotional and, for me, this was one of the best public meetings I have attended. Good feelings. Good motives. In particular the gentleman from the Rotary and the woman from Solvang spoke most clearly about how this was the right thing to do for the kids of Ojai now. If the time line goes as expected, we should have a skate park at the current location by next spring. From the Ojai Post - Read More »

June 28th, 2008: The Bruce and Marilyn Wallace Charitable Giving Foundation Donated $16,000 to put us past our Goal of $350,000!!

June 28, 2008: Mixed Message Art Show Raised $1,000.

June 25, 2008: $3,300 raised at our Silent Auction at Antonio's.

June 25, 2008: $22,000 donation from Marilyn Wallace and Maurice Chasse in honor of Bruce Wallace to fulfill our $50,000 match donation.

June 20, 2008: $10,000 from the Rotary Club of Ojai

June 8, 2008: $270,000 raised - $80,000 left!

May 16, 2008: $147,000 raised - $103,000 needed to reach our goal.

May 1, 2008: - Skate Ojai $50,000 Match Challenge. An anonymous donor has offered to all potential donors this Ultimate Match Challenge:If $50,000 in community donations are pledged between April 29, 2008 and June 30, 2008....$50,000 will be Matched!

April 2008: $127,000 Raised

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