Long-term future of Capitola Wharf, pump track on tap for City Council

CAPITOLA

The new Capitola City Council sits together behind the dais for the first time Thursday night. The council includes (left to right) Alexander Pedersen, Kristen Brown, Margaux Keiser, Yvette Brooks and Joe Clarke. It voted to make Keiser the city’s mayor and Brown its vice mayor. PK HATTIS — SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL

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By PK Hattis

pkhattis@santacruzsentinel.com

CAPITOLA >> Public recreation is the focal point for this week’s Capitola City Council meeting with city leaders ready to weigh future uses of the historic Capitola Wharf as well as a contract to revamp a popular pump track.

With a grand reopening ceremony scheduled for later this month, the council will consider giving the city manager permission to enter into an estimated $75,000 agreement with an architecture firm to begin outreach, planning and design services for the wharf’s Long-Term Use and Development Plan.

The future-looking report will include five alternatives for long-term wharf uses including a no leased space option, a current use option, mobile option, small structures option and permanent structure option.

Amenities within the “current use” category include fishing concessions in a single structure, public restrooms and gathering infrastructure for special events. “Mobile uses,” according to the staff report, may involve mobile structures for fishing, food and beverages and public gathering structures. These same services within the “small structures” option would be offered through all-weather accessory structures such as modified shipping containers, while the “permanent structure” option may include buildings similar to the Wharf House Restaurant and Boat and Bait Shop that were torn down earlier this year.

The council has already given the OK for a temporary use plan which includes reopening the Boat and Bait Shop in a temporary structure along with two public events including the grand reopening set for Sept. 25 and a concert with food trucks and a beer garden on Oct. 6.

The report will feature a comprehensive summary, conceptual site plan, renderings and cost estimate for each alternative with a goal of presenting the findings and a recommendation to the City Council in April. The long-term use plan will also include two public meetings—one in person and another online — as well as a public survey.

Pump track renovation

A 13,000-square-foot earthen pump track at McGregor Park in Capitola requires frequent maintenance and repairs, prompting city officials to propose a renovation project they hope will reduce fees and give it some longevity.

The pump track along McGregor Drive, only a short distance from Highway 1, was originally built in 2016 using compacted soil and a protective cap that must receive regular attention to keep it functional. The project proposes to upgrade the track to a more durable asphalt surface which requires less frequent attention and an enhanced riding experience for bicyclists and skateboarders.

Design phases for the project would last about eight weeks while construction could take roughly four to six weeks.

Available funding for the project is $120,000 with $30,000 of that coming from the city’s budget and $90,000 through a donation from the Monte Foundation. The proposed contractor for the project is American Ramp Company, which has done similar projects at Pinto Lake in Watsonville and another track in Santa Clara.