March 16, 2006

Council looks to forums, surveys to help determine
future of community centers

SNI likely to assume Pat Dando/ Hoffman-Via
Monte Community Center responsibility

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

The Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department is one step closer to making its recommendations to the City Council for the reuse of several community centers.

These three city employees help keep The Spot going by planning activities and interacting with the kids. Pictured from left are Hank Wong, Sarah Beaulieu and Janae Whitcomb.

There are a total of 47 community centers in San Jose—24 community centers, 11 senior centers and 12 youth centers. Initially, 34 were selected for reuse. On April 11, the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department will present a pared-down list of 10-14 sites for reuse to the city council.

During a meeting last Saturday and again on Wednesday night, PRNS staff went over the community forum and survey results for the different council districts. The group is recommending that some sites be taken off the list. Some of the centers not chosen for reuse will be closed until further funds are available, some will be torn down and the others will remain open to be used for existing programs.

PRNS announced last fall it would be looking into finding nonprofit groups instead of city employees to run various community centers. The program was created as a last-ditch effort to save the city’s community centers. This year’s budget is $6 million down from the $10 million budget four years ago and staffing has been cut to 75 full-time equivalent employees, down from 149 employees four years ago.

“We need an ongoing, long-term source of revenue,” said Angel Rios, acting deputy director of the Community Services Division of PRNS. “This program allows us to start now and do a little bit at a time. At the same time we find a new source of revenue [to keep the centers going] and to maintain services at the same level.”

As the Times reported in February, the Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) will assume responsibility for the Hoffman/Via Monte Center, according to Cynthia Bojorquez, assistant to the city manager. Programs and operations at the facility will not change. “The SNI group will take responsibility and use their funds to pay for the center,” said Bojorquez.

Teens lounge on couches at The Spot watching television or just talking. The Spot offers the youngsters a place to go after school so they aren’t on the street or going home to an empty house.

The Spot
However, the future of The Spot, which is located at Bret Harte Middle School, remains questionable. According to Bojorquez, several groups have contacted the District 10 office and are interested in running The Spot. However, she was unsure whether services would change. “It depends on the proposal,” she said.

Currently there are two nonprofit individual groups and one collaborative group of three different nonprofits interested in running The Spot. All will be considered fairly, according to Daniella Polar, community relations coordinator for District 10 Councilwoman Nancy Pyle’s office.

“Two of those groups would be providing services for the youth using The Spot,” Polar said. However, in the long run the final choice will be the group that provides the services the entire community wants, she added.

At the meeting on March 11, the staff responsible for reuse handed back survey results and community forum feedback for the various centers. Forum feedback for The Spot showed that the majority of the group said no to closing the facility and yes to renting it out. Possible suggestions for renters include the San Jose Unified School District and the YMCA.

A visit to The Spot on Tuesday afternoon showed a number of young people using the center, some watching television while others played computer games. Some were just kicking back and talking. In all at least 10 youngsters were inside the facility while several others were outside playing basketball.

After school, young teens take advantage of the various activities available at The Spot. Above a group plays an electronic hockey game. The Spot maintains games and other activities for young people after school. Photos by Carol Rosen

Pat Dando/Hoffman-Via Monte Community Center
The feedback to keep the Pat Dando / Hoffman-Via Monte center open was even stronger. More than 3,000 people use the facility each month, according to community forum and survey feedback results. The center serves a variety of age groups from seniors to children. It offers nutrition and parenting programs, music and art, career counseling and job research, after school and youth programs as well as computer and ESL classes. And it offers space to the Strong Neighborhood Initiative program.

The compilation of survey and forum feedback provides PRNS with the background to approach the City Council. Through these meetings PRNS was able to determine that only 10 to 14 centers will be up for reuse instead of the 34 in its initial presentation. Some of those taken off the block include senior centers and others that needed more square footage for the area populations.

PRNS will present its recommendations at the April 11 City Council meeting and await the council members’ vote. Once that has been completed, PRNS will begin negotiations with potential nonprofit or other group operators so their operations can begin service by October.