Editor's Note: The following press release was submitted by the City of Saratoga. It's been edited for brevity and clarity.
Saratoga’s Parks and Recreation Commission will lead its first guided walk of 2013 at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 18 at Congress Springs Quarry, located off of Highway 9, a quarter of a mile west of Toll Gate Road.
The event will begin with a brief kick-off ceremony. Council Member Howard Miller and the Parks and Recreation Commission members will act as guides on this walk.
Parking is available at the entrance of the Quarry. Wear comfortable clothes, sunscreen, and a pair of walking shoes. Light refreshments will be served.
The Parks and Recreation Commission created this program to help the City of Saratoga meet its goal of becoming a Let's Move City, in 2012, which is part of the Let's Move Initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama.
The initiative encourages local governments to develop long-term, sustainable approaches to reducing childhood obesity.
The Commission accomplished its goal of hosting a total of three walks in 2012.
The City has recommitted to the Let’s Move activities for 2013 and the PRC will be coordinating three more events during this calendar year.
The next events are scheduled for Saturday, July 13 at Villa Montalvo and Saturday, Aug. 24 at Parker Ranch. To see a list of all of Saratoga's various trails, visit the City's Trail Maps page.
Saratoga acquired the Congress Springs Quarry property from Santa Clara County. The 64-acre site is located on Highway 9 near the Historic Saratoga Village and Hakone Gardens.
The property was used as a quarry for mining greywake sandstone from approximately 1908 until 1967 and was later used by Santa Clara County as a source of aggregate road base material for County roads.
When purchasing the property, the city was required to maintain the property as open space in perpetuity and must prepare a Final Management Plan (FMP) by 2016.
The FMP must include provisions that promote the protection of public resources, implement an erosion control program, promote public access for recreation, develop a portion of the Saratoga-to-the Sea Trail, and obtain any regulatory approvals necessary to allow its implementation.
In March 2013, the city hired a consultant to develop a FMP and master plan for the property.
The master planning process will include surveying the property, plans for trails and recreational use, plans to document and preserve the historical resources on the property, cost estimates for future design, construction, and maintenance, and environmental planning and clearance.
Development of the master plan will include considerable opportunities for community engagement and participation by the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
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