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November 2012 Thankful for Our Parks: They Nearly Never Happened
Serving Danville Lighting of the Old Oak Tree
By Jody Morgan Osage Station Park is a kaleidoscope of shifting patterns on a sunny Fall Saturday as teams of girls and boys of various ages maneuver soccer balls on multiple fields of play. Witnessing a similar scene at Sycamore Valley Park last year while watching her grandson’s Livermore team competing in the Valley-wide soccer tournament, Sandy Myers recalls: “I overheard a discussion about how awful it was that Danville didn’t have more soccer fields. I smiled to myself and thought, ‘If you only knew.’ Back in 1974, the Valley was about one year away from not having any parks at all, and only quick action from a handful of concerned residents saved four of the five remaining major sites in the Valley for future parks.”
Fall Saturday at Osage Station Park.
Although the subject of setting aside suitable parcels of land for parks was first raised in the 1960s, the question did not appear on a ballot until April 1972. Proponents of the measure conducted a survey that indicated 87.5% of respondents favored park development. Only 34% of the San Ramon Valley’s 9,559 registered voters turned out to record their preference. The Parks and Recreation measure was defeated by a vote of 1,894 opposed to 1,394 in favor. At that time, a decade before any of the towns incorporated, the San Ramon Valley was a single political area including Alamo, Danville, and much of what is now San Ramon. R-7 Committee in early 1980s: Pictured left to right - Seated: When Sandy Myers Frankie Ross, Jim Aigeltinger, Sandy Myers, Ron Crane. Standing: Tom Hanson, Ed Best, George McCauley, Dick moved to Danville from McNeely. Photo courtesy of Beverly Lane and Ralph Cozine. Oregon in 1971, the closest park she could visit with her two pre-school children was Heather Farm in Walnut Creek. She remembers that Danville’s only stop sign at that time was at the intersection of
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The holiday season is upon us, and if you’re considering a perfect way to kick it off, grab your family and friends and spend the evening in Danville, where the Lighting of the Old Oak Tree on Friday, November 23rd will take place. In its 36th year, the Lighting of the Old Oak Tree is a favorite community custom for all ages. The event begins at 5:15pm, when everyone gathers around the town’s 350-year-old oak tree to enjoy refreshments and music provided by the San Ramon Valley High School Chorus and the Danville Girls Chorus under the direction of Ken Abrams. The magic continues as Father Christmas and the Snow Angel arrive. When the Snow Angel sprinkles fairy dust the Old Oak Tree lights up in glorious illumination. Afterwards, Reel Blondes, a Danville cabaret troupe, spring into action as brightly wrapped holiday gifts and escort Father Christmas and the Snow Angel through downtown Danville with the community following - enjoying holiday goodies
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East Bay Sea Serpents By Fran Miller One of the area’s most highly regarded swimming programs is the result of serendipity. Several years ago, Special Olympics volunteer Joleen Silverfoote was helping at a basketball game when a fellow volunteer suggested she start a Special Olympics swim team. With no formal swim training, Silverfoote found the suggestion a little crazy. “But after several weeks of being cajoled, I would say the stars lined up all at the Sea Serpent volunteer coach Jack Garrett assists one of the learn-to-swim Sea Serpent right time,” says Silverfoote. Eleven years later, the East Bay Sea athletes. Photo by Deanna Wentzel. Serpents swim program meets every Sunday afternoon at the Campolindo High School Soda Volume IV - Number 1 Center, serving Special Olympics-registered athletes 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, primarily from the Lamorinda area and Diablo corridor. Alamo, CA 94507 A large pool of volunteers, mostly students from the (925) 405-6397 area’s high schools, runs the program. There is no cost Fax (925) 406-0547 to the athletes who range in age range from 6 to over 40. Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher “I never thought Sea Serpents would be a success,” editor@ says Silverfoote, a Moraga resident whose three yourmonthlypaper.com grown daughters all participated as coaches. “But the program continues to be a win/win for both The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily the athletes and our volunteers who are mostly reflect that of Danville Today News. Danville Today News is not high school swimmers and water polo playresponsible for the content of any of ers. They get as much, if not more, out of their the advertising herein, nor does
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publication imply endorsement.