in State Budget Funds for Transportation Services

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Age Well Senior Services will see six new hybrid vehicles joining its fleet, helping the nonprofit’s efforts to provide transportation to South Orange County’s seniors and mobility-challenged individuals.

Included in the state budget enacted on June 27 is $510,000 for Age Well to purchase six hybrid transportation vehicles, which will provide non-emergency transportation services.

The state funds will help Age Well in its mission to “support independence and dignity of South Orange County seniors,” said Steve Moyer, chief executive officer of Age Well Senior Services, Inc.

Along with delivering Meals on Wheels and serving lunches at its senior center locations, Age Well provides non-emergency transportation, including “taking seniors for dialysis, for cancer chemotherapy, any medical-related appoint- said. “I think we all have questions, and we need some reassurance that features like volleyball and those other things are not going to go away.”

City Manager Andy Hall, who provided information to the commission regarding the project’s finances and other relevant topics, assured the group that although the council didn’t want too long of a delay in receiving a decision, the city didn’t need to rush the project.

“I think making sure that you guys feel like you have the information that you need to make a well-informed decision, when you feel like you’re ready … that’s when we should move forward,” said Hall. During an earlier presentation, he also said the city has not yet identified a funding source for constructing the $11 million venture, unlike the $1.2 million project to build temporary pickleball courts at Steed Park (Parks Acquisition and Development Fund) and the $8 million project to stabilize Casa Romantica ments such as doctor appointments, also to pick up prescriptions, (and) dental appointments,” Moyer explained.

With the nonprofit retiring many of its aging vans, the funds to purchase new hybrid vehicles will help Age Well “build back our capacity.”

“The other thing that’s really important about this is that these will be our first vans that are really environmentally sensitive, which we’re very excited about,” Moyer said. “At this point, we sit at 22 vehicles, but by the end of this year, we will be approaching 30 vehicles in total. So, we’re very excited about that.”

Moyer added that the fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles will also help to reduce the nonprofit’s operating costs, as well as the decreased need for additional maintenance as they replace older vans.

Moyer added that each of Age Well’s vehicles serves roughly 1,200 medical trips annually, with the fleet currently accommodating more than 27,000 trips a year. Moyer anticipates with the fleet expansion that Age Well will be able to accommodate roughly 32,000 trips annually.

“The clients that we have that utilize our services are ones that do not have transportation to and from medical appointments and they are definitely in need,” Moyer said. “This is a door-to-door

Pictured is one of three design plans for a potential 24-court pickleball facility that the San Clemente Beaches, Parks & Recreation Commission on Tuesday, Aug. 8, delayed in sending a final recommendation to the City Council. Rendering: Courtesy of the City of San Clemente

The 24-court project, which the City Council increased from 16 courts on May 2, includes building one “championship court” to be used in tournaments, adding at least 95 parking spaces to the park and four more that would comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as a pickleball “pro shop” and restrooms.

Project designer RJM Design Group presented three options to the commission.

Option A’s design features the 95 additional parking spaces and four ADA stalls, the pro shop and restrooms, and a championship court located near the back hillside of the park that looks over Avenida Fabricante.

Options B and C both include 165 ad- service we provide.”

“We pick them up at their home and transport them to their appointments, and then once their appointment’s finished, we transport them back home,” Moyer continued. “I don’t know what these individuals would be able to do without this. This service is a safety net in their life, and we recognize that.”

South County’s senior population is growing, Moyer added.

“With that comes more and more demands, needs to be met. These vans really help us to be able to keep up with the demand,” he said, adding: “This is a service that we want to continue to be able to provide to enrich their life, which is the overall mission of Age Well Senior Services.”

State Sen. Catherine Blakespear attributes her advocacy for investing in her district to many community projects receiving state funding this year.

In a media release, Blakespear highlighted projects within her district “that address housing and homelessness, transit and transportation, the environment and social services” as receiving funding from the state budget.

“These are critically important projects in my district,” Blakespear said in the media release. “I’m tremendously grateful that my advocacy for these proj- ditional parking spots and six ADA stalls, the pro shop and restrooms, and a championship court with expanded seating located above or adjacent to the baseball fields. Each of the latter plans features an additional restroom, with the secondary facility located against the back hillside in Option B and located near court Nos. 20, 22, and 24 in Option C.

Beaches, Parks & Recreation Department Director Samantha Wylie provided a clarification regarding the shop.

“I think pro shop is probably a big word to use,” said Wylie. “The commission (and the public) should be aware that this is a 650-square-foot facility. Very little. Half of that is going to be a restroom.” ects was effective in getting the projects funded.”

The other half will likely be used as a space to house staff that could help people who want to reserve playing time at the pickleball facility and speak with staff in general, as well as the pro shop function.

City staff recommended Option C under the belief that its secondary restroom would be more accessible.

However, commissioners including new Chair Rob Feuerstein were troubled by the expanded complex moving the proposed sand volleyball courts and offleash dog park in the recently updated Steed Park Master Plan.

“I would like to give the public more chance to respond to what the entire plan is going to look like,” Feuerstein said.

Blakespear noted that with state revenues lower than last year, it was a tough budget year, “which motivated me to advocate even harder for state investment in important local initiatives. These projects would not be moving forward this year without this crucial funding.”

In addition to the funding granted to Age Well of Orange County for hybrid transportation vehicles, the City of Vista received $5 million for interim and permanent supportive housing, Encinitas received $3.09 million to complete the Santa Fe Drive Corridor improvement project, and $1.4 million was allocated to complete a connecting segment of the Coast to Crest Trail.

“Sen. Blakespear, who made this happen, is really incredible, just a godsend for us to receive something of this magnitude,” Moyer added.

“Out of all of the critical programs that she was looking at, that this money could have been spent on, for her to select Age Well and what we do, this vehicle project, we’re honored and appreciative,” Moyer said.

Seniors and mobility-challenged individuals can apply for non-emergency transportation on Age Well’s website at agewellseniorservices.org.

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