Pop-up park V2.0 is a smashing success by just about any measure. Sitting at the southwest corner of Second Street and Monterey Road, this new little gem already feels like it was always there.
This latest temporary park opened to the huge relief of so many who were asking questions like, “Where do our children play downtown?” and “What happened to that big blue chair?” after the original pop-up park closed due to a change in property ownership.
Children are once again playing downtown and a spruced up big blue chair is again ready for those photo opportunities (the wood was literally worn down from use).
I have heard many say that the newest pop-up park is better than the original. It has a piano, more chairs, more picnic benches, more incredible trees, and maybe a more desireable location. But to me the original paved the way and will never be forgotten.
I’ve mentioned this before but I think it bears repeating: The first pop-up park almost didn’t happen.
As usual, the city staff members involved in the project asked downtown businesses about giving up about a half dozen parking spaces in return for a little-understood concept of a temporary park. At first, several of the businesses balked; so more information was delivered and conversations ensued. Eventually most of the businesses were on board. The hesitation was understandable because it was a time when the parking garage construction work was starting and a lane reduction pilot program was underway on Monterey Road.
Those times were dynamic and the park had to be a success—or else there would be egg on a few faces.
Well the “Bike HUB Park,” as it was called then, was a huge success right from the beginning. The success was not as much of a surprise as the type of users were. It had been expected to appeal mostly to adults, but it quickly proved to be the place where families went. Appealing to families, who were generally felt to be missing from the downtown, had always been a key part of the plan; hence the playful primary colors and children’s foam play blocks. But I don’t think anyone dreamed that it would be as popular with families as it turned out.
It would be easy, and safe, to let that old park die a fond memory but people like Dan McCranie, Edith Ramirez, John Lang, Mike Katwan, Dale Dapp and a small army of city staffers once again took on a challenge that could leave egg on their faces.
Armed with past experience and fresh ideas, the planners of the new park set out to create a place that would be new and inviting, but also familiar.
This new park benefits from many lessons learned from the old park but the biggest lesson for me was this: think big and out of the box and take a chance. The risks can be great but rewards can be so much greater, and even quite different from your expectations.
Take that chance.
Please enjoy your park.
John McKay is Interim President of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.
I’ve mentioned this before but I think it bears repeating: The first pop-up park almost didn’t happen
