Time to Act!

[Hollynn D'Lil]

A Vision for Graton

 

It’s the year 2014.  Perhaps after retrieving your mail at the post office, you’ll meet a friend in the park across the street.  You will plan to return to the park for music night.  Tomorrow, you'll take the children to the park for story hour. 

 

Graton Day will be held in the park.  Gone are the days when the only way to hold a large community event was to block off the streets.  You save a lot of money these days in gasoline as you just don't need to go out of town as much.

 

How Do We Get There?

 

Okay, back to 2011.  How do we get from here to there?  By taking advantage of this economic lull in business as usual.  Remember 2007 when every scrap of land was pounced on by developers?  That’s not quite the case today which is giving the Graton community the opportunity to create community space in Graton.

 

So, how does a community create a park?  By investing in your future. 

 

Investing in Park Shares

 

Let’s talk about the park first. The Graton Fire Protection District Board of Directors will most likely put putting the old fire house site up for sale before the end of the year.  That means we have only a few months to make sure the site becomes a community space. 

 

The Graton Green Group, a 501(c)3 non-profit provides the framework for the community to create a park at the old firehouse site on Ross and Graton Roads.  To that end, the GGG invites you to purchase your Park Share.  By pledging to give $5, $10, $15, $20 or more a month, you will be buying a share in the park that gives you a dividend every time you go there.  Each dollar you donate is tax deductible! 

 

Here’s the math: A local architect is asking to purchase the old firehouse site for $400,000.  That means the community needs to raise close to that amount to be in adequate competition to acquire the property for a park.

 

Say, there are 1,000 homes in the area that will use the park. To be conservative, say that only 1/3 of the home dwellers will give money to help create that park.  That’s 333 purchases of a Park Share.  If the average Park Share is $10 per month, that’s about $40,000 per year.  If the average share is $15 per month, that’s about $60,000 per year. 

 

If we succeed in persuading the Graton Fire Protection District Board to give us a lease/option to buy the property with a five-year payout, at the end of five years, the home dwellers will have paid almost $200,000 (or $300,000) toward the purchase of the land.  With the support of local business and wineries bringing in the rest, we will be proud park owners. 

 

For another $53,000, we can create parking and sidewalks where the west turning lane is now.  This will bring the park closer to downtown Graton.  For $150,000 (less with volunteer materials and labor) we can turn the north three bays of the firehouse site into a performance/events pavilion.  For another $35,000 we can create an accessible restroom.  So, we only need $600,000 or so total.  (Did I just hear some funny snorting sounds?  Could you just get it out of your system and keep reading, please?)

 

Please think about it.  How much does $10 a month mean to you?  Giving up a couple of lattes or a cheap bottle of wine per month?  Isn’t that a good exchange for dancing/classes/movies/music/theater/parties/art in the park?

 

Please call Aaron Smith 478 1502 if you have questions or suggestions.  Please call if you will help gather pledges for Park Shares. 

 

BTW, Is the Old Fire House Site Safe for a Park?

 

In September, the equipment and wells to monitor and remediate ground contamination at the old firehouse site will be removed.  In a letter dated June 27, 2011, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region agreed with the Sonoma County Local Program that no further action is required. At their August board meeting, President Bob Maddocks of the Graton Fire Protection District asked if the site is safe for a children’s playground and was told it is and that putting a park on the site would be an excellent use of the site.

 

Graton Day Graton Green Group Booth

 

Also, please call David Mahnke at 861 0014 if you will help with the Graton Green Group booth at Graton Day.

 

Thank you, Park Supporters!

HolLynn, President

Graton Green Group Board of Directors

829 9440

 

 

[song...@sonic.net]

Wow, you have a great plan there.  You amaze me.

Laura LaVelle Feahr

As long as we live, there is never enough singing. ~Martin Luther




On Sun 21/08/11 9:20 AM , "Hollynn D'Lil" hd...@comcast.net sent: