Columnists

On Dec. 20, the Morgan Hill City Council voted to approve funding to secure a local stop for one of the most prestigious bicycle races in the United States later this year, likely to inject an economic boost into our town.Due to the council’s approval, on May 16, 2018, the Amgen Tour of California will stop in Morgan Hill for one of the event’s time trial stages.Anyone even remotely familiar with bicycle racing, or who is a follower of the sports segment of the news, knows the Amgen Tour of California is a big deal. This race is considered a lead up to the Tour de France for many, and is the only race in the U.S. recognized by the key international bicycle racing sanctioning body.For those of you who really don’t pay attention to these kinds of things, you probably do know what the Tour de France is. This is California’s version of that.It’s a big deal and it’s now coming to our little town!So what does the Tour of California mean to us? It will be fun to watch, but the economic implications are extensive.This event will be televised around the world with a social media following that could bog down anyone’s internet to dial tone levels when everyone is in town: digital imagery of Morgan Hill will be floating around the world. A circus of riders and support crews, event staff, reporters and fans will be here in earnest. Hotel rooms as far as Monterey are already being booked.Morgan Hill will get to show off our regionally recognized active lifestyle. Did you know that Morgan Hill was touted as a Mecca for bicycling just a few years back, in conjunction with the Bicycling Spring Classic hosted by Specialized and Bicycling Magazine? Our Outdoor Sports Center on Condit Road regularly hosts top-flight events. You are minutes from city, county and state parks that many consider destinations. The world will see all of that on their TVs and smartphones.The event will begin and end right in our downtown, so the entire world will see this neighborhood we’re so proud of. Reserve a table at one of your favorite downtown restaurants now.The promoters will host a “Lifestyle Festival,” where our downtown will turn into a huge bicycle party with all kinds of bicycling related vendors and parties lining Monterey Road. A community event is being planned nearby, where we can highlight our local and regional assets.There will be immediate benefits to local businesses, but the exposure promises to help local tourism and other industries as our community and its attributes are seen far and wide.We get to have a 30-second promotional video shown during the event highlighting Morgan Hill that should excite potential employers about our town being a great place for their businesses and employees.This is our time to shine, folks. Let’s make the best of it.More to follow in my next column…John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, a city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

Here we are again at the end of the year, and everyone is in great spirits. Everywhere you look the symbols of the holidays twinkle and sparkle and generally scream out that you’re supposed to be a part of the celebration. Go out on your street corner and see if you don’t just feel it in the air—I bet you’ve been conditioned to identify the smells of this time of year with the holidays. I know I have.My e-mail inbox started bubbling over around Thanksgiving with holiday cheer, and advertisements, but now it’s virtually exploding with those deals that “just got extended” and offers of delivery in time for Christmas day. I sense a whimper coming as the offers spin out of control and there’s no time for delivery, so reason sets in and someone stops hitting the send button launching those ads. Besides there’s nothing left in anyone’s inventory as each item I pick is no longer available, and if it’s seasonal you’re not going to see it again until summer wains next year. Since when did the day after Christmas mark spring fashion time?Locally, the stores are running out of those unique and sought-after items, so I reach for the next best thing—gift cards.I love gift cards! I went shopping at REI, Bass Pro Shop and Best Buy while standing with ice cream melting in my cart at Safeway. I also love the aspect of gift wrapping being less stressful: insert gift card in Christmas card and done! Now I only have to worry about whether I guessed which type of store was right, but you can even bypass that with your credit card so you are completely safe.So with all of the shopping options you have to really screw up to totally disappoint someone—unless you should’ve been more attentive and sensitive and really picked out something personal. This is where I get into trouble—unless you like wine and spirits, because then I can totally get into it and then subscribe to the one-for-you, one-for-me shopping methodology.Actually, most of this holiday season shopping has been for myself. You know, I need clothes and wine and motorcycle gloves, too. As a matter of fact, I consider the holiday season a great time to stretch the budget. I usually buy most of the stuff I can think of because it’s usually at least 20 percent off this time of year. My only issue is that I always seem to buy a bunch of stuff for other people, and that can hurt the budget. But then if you’re going to buy stuff for someone else, isn’t it great to get it at a discount? Who says I don’t have the holiday spirit?When it comes down to that spirit, it’s all about the people to me. Not the requisite giving, which I enjoy, but the way everybody acts around this time of year.This is the time of year when it is OK to get together more often than usual, to stay out later, and to enjoy food and drink with the budget being a little less of a concern (remember those discounted gifts…).I hope you have enjoyed the shopping, the celebrations with friends and the spirit of the holidays with all of the right people, and may you have a Happy New Year!John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

Okay, I don’t think I’m quite done with talking about the new downtown parks.I was at the three new parks’ grand opening this past Saturday, and it was a big deal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many of the community’s leaders and volunteers in one place like this before. There were representatives from the Open Space Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Assembly Member Ana Caballero’s office and of course our city council.But I think the most important thing was that the community really turned out, especially at the Railroad Park. Seeing so many from our community turn out makes me believe that these parks are the right ones for us at the right time.If you had ever seen the old empty lot where the new Creek Park is now, you might remember it was overgrown with tree canopies touching the ground and blocking the views.That old lot cleaned up nicely with a wonderful trail that goes from Second to Third Street through the park, passing over a sturdy footbridge that makes you feel like you are leaving the downtown. There is a sculpture of a fox under the canopy of a huge oak tree and the open main area of the park has a couple features for the young ones to climb on. But this park is mostly just for relaxing and hanging out. I’m already looking forward to sitting under the trees on a nice summer day.After initial ceremonies at the Creek Park, a mass of people went up the hill to the Hilltop Park and we were all reminded that this park will be great for exercising. But the view and the slides make it all worth the effort. Children lined up to go down the slide,screaming down one after another. We really got to see and were reminded of what so much of these parks are about—the children.We went to the Railroad Park on Depot Street. As soon as the gates opened, there was a flood of children climbing on the different play features. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen one of those zombie movies where the zombies all climb together to get over a wall or something, but the scene reminded me of that. A tower that looks like the Eiffel Tower looked like it had that swarm, but these were wonderful, happy, screaming kids, alive with joy, that now have a place to play in the downtown.Children playing in the Railroad Park went on through the day and into the evening with the park full again after the Holiday Lights Parade.I went to Sunday brunch the next morning, and from the downtown parking garage I could hear the children yelling and screaming and laughing from my upper floor perch. I could see the brightly colored park and equally colorfully clothed children running about and playing with others.This really reinforced that what was missing in the downtown was that sound of life filling the air and the sight of children being children. We got a taste of this with the pop-up parks, but this is much bigger.I want to make sure that one of our most firmly held goals is to make the sights and sounds of children commonplace in our thriving downtown.Can we work on that together?John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, a city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

First let me say that this column is probably more for me than anything else, so please forgive me in advance as I take a few column inches to reflect on my time doing something that I love.

Well it’s just about here… Saturday, Dec. 2 will be the big day that the three new downtown parks will finally open to the public.I’ve been watching the planning of these parks for close to three years, and at times they just seemed like some far-fetched and far-off dream. This city had not built a new park in almost 20 years, which seems strange for a community that is so focused on open space and parklands. The time is right.Turns out it takes a lot of planning—and it turns out that hard work, resourcefulness and timing are other prime ingredients in making things only recently dreamed a reality.The community loved the idea of a park along West Little Llagas Creek, behind Ladera Grill, M&H Tavern, Murphy’s Mercantile and Betto’s Bistro. The input from the initial community outreach meetings is actually seen in the park now. The fact that it’s more of a passive park without all the play features (now reserved for the Railroad Park), and the proposed artwork were all discussed at the meetings.Even the neighbors—one directly adjacent the park—gave feedback that was heard and incorporated. Involved neighbors are the best kind, and they have embraced the park.Right up from the Third Street Creekside Park is now Nob Hill Trail Park. The views of Morgan Hill and surrounding valley will now be featured along with a couple of big slides, trails and equipment to offer outdoor exercise in a setting that feels like a forested park far from the city’s core.Exercise equipment and walking paths aren’t particularly unique to city parks, but having two big slides coming down a signature hill right next to the downtown is.Who would’ve ever guessed that we’d really get these big slides down Nob Hill? They’re the kind of thing that just seemed like an unrealistic dream at one time. I like to believe that the support, effort and funding from the Morgan Hill Rotary Club made the difference.I believe that not only are the slides going to be a lot of fun; they will again bring attention to a community that has a zest for life and just has fun.Now that we have slides and exercise equipment right in the downtown, we can eat, shop, play, exercise, sleep, repeat… That’s an active lifestyle.The Railroad Park is going to be where the young ones get catered to. The many play features look like so much fun that I’m guessing there might be some “close adult supervision” taking place regularly right alongside the community’s children.The bright primary colors, murals and feel will hopefully offset the loss of the pop-up park which will likely go away soon. I like to think that the two pop-up parks provided plenty of inspiration for the new Railroad Park. Could the big blue chair end up there?Morgan Hill is a community that generally takes itself seriously, but these parks allow us to let our hair down a little and have some fun.The spider sculpture on the parking garage, big blue chair, and other public art also speak to our fun and sometimes whimsical side, and the outside world is recognizing us for it.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

Last week I attended a conference dedicated to economic development. That might sound boring to some, but it was eye opening and a little surprising to me.

I recently mentioned that the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, in partnership with the City of Morgan Hill, invited construction projects downtown to participate in a competition to see who could make their site the most interesting.The prize for this competition was a lunch for the construction crews, so there was little incentive other than the spirit of competition and lots of community spirit.The Leal organization’s site for the future Granada Hotel and Spa won the competition with a decorated fence and a construction site that really doesn’t look like either anymore. This is a great example of how to make a normally unsightly looking construction site blend back into the background.So I told some people about the competition and realized that the Leal organization was not being recognized for some of the other good things they do.I originally started writing this column because I didn’t feel that the community knew enough about so many of the good things being done in Morgan Hill, and this is a good example.The Leal organization became visible to most of us in Morgan Hill with its purchase of the old Granada Theater site. Little did we know that someone could save that old building (it was structurally unsafe), let alone make it a thriving business and contemporary landmark.It took a lot of resources to save that sentimental old building, but the Leal organization made it happen. Now we don’t have to rely on just memories of the building; we can be entertained and dine in an updated version that can now make new memories.For me, most of those memories are associated with the philanthropic work in the way of charitable fundraisers in that building.Think about the Edward Boss Prado Foundation’s annual Gala Event which found a new home there. Community Solutions’ “Black, White & Bling” Gala was the first event in the newly renovated Granada (this year’s gala is Nov. 4). Those events were generously supported by donation of the venue by the Leal organization.New this year will be Rebekah Children’s Services’ “Festival of Trees” fundraiser which just moved to Morgan Hill from the swanky Corinthian in San Jose. The Live Oak High Booster Club will be the recipient of 25 percent of the receipts from the “Pasta for a Purpose” dinner. This is a takeoff of the “Pizza for a Purpose” event the Leal organization held in Hollister for their local needs.The Leal organization is a business and will conduct itself as one, as it has to. The organization is also very active philanthropically—it doesn’t have to be but it is.This organization is another example of how so many of our local businesses become partners in the community. I welcome them to the community.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

The season is winding down for those wonderful outdoor festivals. We only have a few events left, and then we’ll have to nourish our adventurous souls on memories or become more pack-like and venture out in small groups of friends and families over the winter.I realize that going out to these festivals is not for everyone, but I think they do hold something for just about everyone.There’s usually some food and some form of adult beverages, most likely music, shopping and nice people. Often, you get the owners of the businesses and brewery or winery right there serving and talking to you.What’s not to like?This weekend you get a double dose of fun. Both the Morgan Hill Downtown Association and the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley have events planned.Weather alert! It’s going to be in the 70s—perfect outdoor event weather, special ordered.Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, the Downtown Association hosts the Brew Crawl. This event will bring in 19 breweries and a specialty drink (think selzer) to pour samples at various businesses in Morgan Hill’s downtown.The focus of the Brew Crawl is to bring in as many small craft breweries as possible to make the event special. Craft brews are taking the adult beverage world by storm and some of the finest will be here.This year there will be two check-in points to complement the two biggest sponsors of the event: The Trail Dust restaurant and Running Shop & Hops store and tap room.This event starts at 1pm and ends at 5pm, so enjoy those beverages and consider sticking around for dinner and shopping afterwards. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 day of event (if there are any left…).The big weekend actually gets started a day earlier with the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley’s Passport Friday Night event. This is a private event, but you can find out how to be a part of it by purchasing tickets to the weekend of tasting for $40—that’s an entire weekend of tasting with over 25 wineries participating.Friday night, 19 wineries will be serving tasting pours all in one location—The Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center. This two-hour evening event (6 to 8pm) usually sees more of the winemakers themselves pouring their wines since it is a smaller crowd and shorter event. Don’t miss this intimate private event.If you got that Wine Passport you’ll have a pass to the over 25 wineries that will have all kinds of special treats in store all weekend for wine tasters on the prowl.The wineries really put on their best face for the weekend of tasting. Besides pouring samples of their fine wines, many will have entertainment and food. Some of the wineries are getting to be known for their special food offerings.  We should all be proud of our local wineries; their wines are just getting better and better, and tasting these wines in their festive settings just seems to make them even tastier.So get plenty of rest, eat well and get out starting Friday night to have a great time as you can only do right here in the South Valley.Brew Crawl info:morganhilldowntown.orgPassport Weekend info: santaclarawines.comJohn McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get in trouble for what I say. A lot of times I think it’s because of what I don’t say, because generally when I’m in trouble I didn’t mean what got me there.Sound familiar?Frequently, I’ll start to make a comment and before I finish, someone else takes it and runs with it. You know it’s never the same when you try to corral that conversation and finish your statement. It always feels like you’re changing your comment or being wishy washy. Makes me crazy, probably makes me sound crazy too.Like most people, I get asked questions about how I feel about things or what I know about something. I always try to be straightforward in what I say, but sometimes I think it might be better in the long run to taking the heat for politely walking away.I will often say something, but then realize that there is a whole conversation of conditions about what I said behind the comment. And then there’s the added dimension of not knowing if you might just ignite a debate when you weren’t looking for one.An example of that situation is being asked, “How do you feel about the growth in Morgan Hill?” This has come up with more frequency these days, and I have found that I rarely get it right. The reason I give includes a lot of background information, an exhaustive analysis of that information, and then I use that to inform my conclusion. But I have yet to find a person who is hopelessly interested in what I have say, or I have little enough sympathy for a human being to launch it on them.It’s times like those that remind me I’ve got to learn how to redirect the conversation. Ever notice how some politicians are terrible at redirection and others are masterful? One seems awfully guilty of something and the other a brilliant orator who knew better about where the conversation should be headed.Maybe that’s not the best example… Still, I could learn a thing or two about redirecting.I also think about what we say to our friends, but probably more importantly what we say to people we don’t know or don’t know well. Your friends tend to understand where you’re coming from, but others will take your comments at face value without further confirmation.Too often, I’ve heard someone repeat a rumor or state a blatant falsehood at a gathering or public setting. This is especially egregious when they are uttered by people that are respected because, well, they’re respected by others. People who are respected tend to be trusted, and that’s why respected people need to be the most honest (sorry if you feel like I’ve focused on you because you’re respected). Their words can affect many so if you’re respected, so maybe it’s best to have good information before passing it on. By the way, it only takes one other person to be respected.I promise to always be honest with you, or maybe we’ll just talk about something else.So in the process of writing this I have probably upset someone, please give me a chance to explain myself…John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, a city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

I feel like talking a little bit about a whole bunch of things, maybe throw out some news and food for thought.Morgan Hill is about to say goodbye to a huge community asset. Steve Rymer will be heading back to a region familiar to him to be another lucky city’s city manager. I understand that there was virtually only one city that could draw him and his wife, Helene, away from Morgan Hill and even when that opportunity opened up he had to be the best of 300 candidates. Statistically speaking, the odds of all this coming together were pretty staggering. However, if you know Steve then it’s no surprise at all.We’ll miss you Steve and Helene.So with that sad news we get to announce some good news. We have a new city manager.The city council decided they didn’t need to look far for a new city manager with the quality of the existing teammates within Morgan Hill City Hall. I feel that the vision, values and culture that exist there are unique for a city office. Quite frankly, I was worried that the culture might be affected by someone coming from outside that might not “get it.” Culture is one of those things that can easily change with no conscious effort.Looking within, the city council found and selected Christina Turner. I used the term “teammate” because the culture at City Hall is that of a big team, and now Christina will be the leader and biggest cheerleader for city staff and the entire community. Christina is also one of the women highlighted during Women’s Week—we walk the walk in Morgan Hill.Okay, so what else is going on?How about the growth of a little corner of Morgan Hill that is on the verge of exploding. Over at the Granary (at First and Depot streets), two new shops are coming on line: a bike shop and wine bar. When you combine these two with Running Shop and Hops you will undoubtedly have the healthiest and happiest corner in Morgan Hill.Both of these unique new shops will be run by people who believe in Morgan Hill and want to make their shops and Morgan Hill stand out in the region.Bike Therapy is open now and The Grapevine will have a soft opening around the weekend of the Taste of Morgan Hill (Sept. 23-24).In other good news, the parking garage just got safer. I thought it was already pretty safe to begin with, but admit at times I was a little annoyed with the activities of some of the loiterers. Apparently not much enforcement was being done in the past because you need to have the right laws in place before you can enforce them. New laws are in place and the enforcement has begun (also: a fence has been placed limiting access to part of the garage and improvements are being made so people can’t access places they shouldn’t).If you have noticed something different about the fence around the future Granada Hotel site (corner of First and Monterey Road), you are seeing the results of an effort to make the downtown look just a little nicer during all the construction. The Leal organization took on the challenge and it’s nice. Take a look for yourself.Congratulations Morgan Hill, good stuff is happening.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, a city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].