Atherton City Council
January 17, 2024

Town of Atherton
Park and Recreation Committee
FY 2023 – Annual Report
Committee FY 2023 Focus Update
• Circulation plan
▫ Finish plans, bid, and construction
• Pickleball
▫ Trial planning and execution
• Landscaping plan
▫ Onboarding Brightview
More FY 2023 Park Changes
• Event garden rehabilitation
▫ Reviewed and approved plans with work commencing
• Tennis program
▫ Reviewed, evaluated, and contract change recommendations made to staff ▫ Tennis courts 1 and 2 resurfaced
• Capital improvements
▫ Event garden landscaping refresh
▫ Repaired playground structural supports
▫ EV charger additions approved
Committee FY 2024 Focus
• Children’s playground
▫ Collect community feedback and
finalize design
• Pickleball
▫ Conduct trial, collect feedback, and
recommend long term direction
• Circulation plan
▫ Complete construction
• Atherton FY19 – no COVID
▫ 66.4% cost recovery
• Atherton FY20 – partial COVID year
▫ 51.0%
• Atherton FY21 – full Covid year
▫ 21.0%
• Atherton FY22
▫ 32.0%
• Atherton FY23
▫ 29.7%
• 2017-19 among 1,053 US parks
▫ 25.9% median
▫ 44.0% top quartile
• 2018-20 among 1,000 US parks
▫ 22.9% median
▫ 40.5% top quartile
• 2019-21 among >1,000 US parks
▫ 23.6% median
▫ 43.4% top quartile
• 2020-22 among >1,000 US parks
▫ 24.6% median
▫ 44.5% top quartile
Sources: NRPA Performance Review 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and Atherton financial reports Park Cost Recovery
Facility Rental and Use Post-COVID
• Corporate and private events are now smaller and fewer in number • Civic center area is first choice to host town and library events ▫ New
▫ Variety of indoor and outdoor spaces
▫ Library events easier to host in library and next door ▫ Café and seating areas
• Indoor park venues need renovation and refresh
• Possible directions
▫ Wait and see where venue rental market is headed longer term ▫ No to limited improvements even if demand improves
▫ Targeted facility updates and renovations
Which improvements have best rate of return
• Ask new event coordinator for recommendations based on town goals Park and Recreation
Future Considerations
• Possible permanent pickleball courts
▫ Where to locate, how many, noise mitigation, and funding to build ▫ Consider changes to court key fees
• Senior playground
▫ Exercise and socialize
▫ Equipment designed for low impact, gentle strengthening and flexibility, and ease of balance
▫ Fitness steps, stretch boards, pendulum swings, etc.
• Community services director
▫ Organize, develop, and communicate park and recreation activities for residents
▫ Coordinate with library activities
Thank you!
• Park and Rec Committee FY 2023
▫ Alex Keh (chair), Walt Robinson (vice chair), Noah Eisner, Patricia Kubal, Frank Merrill, Julianna Robertson, and Robert Roeser • Robert Ovadia, Sally Bentz-Dalton, Will Burse, and town staff • Rick DeGolia and town council