CC 12-06-2022 Item No. 12 Blackberry Farm Pool ImprovementsCC 12-6-2022
Item No. 12
Blackberry Farm Pool
Improvements
Written Communications
From:Peggy Griffin
To:Susan Michael AIA
Cc:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:2022-12-6 CC Agenda Item #12 - Blackberry Farm Pools
Date:Monday, December 5, 2022 9:09:12 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless
you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi CIP Manager Michaels,
CC agenda item #12 is the renovation of the Blackberry Farm pools for $725k with a 20% contingency which would
bring it to $900k.
Q: Could you send me a copy of the RFP with the scope of work details please?
I support refurbishing the pools because they are one of very few public pools around (Fremont HS, Rancho
Riconada - both very different) and it is critical kids learn to swim and enjoy it. Plus the BBF pool area has parking
to support it. I don’t support moving it to Memorial Park because that would require more parking that it does not
have and it would take away open space that the central and eastern part of town disparately needs.
I am concerned that the very expensive “splash pad” will return as part of this project when there was support for a
slide instead.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
From:Rhoda Fry
To:City Clerk; City Council; Cupertino City Manager"s Office
Subject:City Council 12/6/2022 #12 Blackberry Farm Pools
Date:Tuesday, December 6, 2022 3:32:36 PM
Attachments:Binder1.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Council,
Please remove from the consent calendar City Council 12/6/2022 #12 Blackberry Farm Pools.
We need to have more clarity on this item.
1. Please provide the RFP so that we can fully understand what is being requested
2. My ask is that we only consider resurfacing only the larger pool until more information has
been made available.
3. Why wasn’t this in the CIP since the staff report states that there has been a need since
2019?
Need for More Information:
1. We need to have fiscal transparency. The pool picnic business needs to be in an enterprise
fund. Years ago golf course and pool/picnics were combined into an enterprise fund.
Pool/picnics were pulled out but did not get their own enterprise fund. Consequently, we
have no idea as to the extent that the pools are being subsidized by our tax dollars. As you
know, the City asked to take a second look at the golf course business because it needed
major capital improvements and it was known to have a significant subsidy. We need to do
the same due diligence with the pools. Please consider that the pools are in a flood zone and
are adjacent to a creek that leads to the San Francisco Bay Estuary. We have invested in the
health of the creek for aquatic habitat and swimming pool water is toxic to these habitats.
Given discussions of having a future aquatic center (perhaps at the sports center), perhaps
the pool area at Blackberry Farm should be reduced and replaced by trees.
2. During the CIP, there had been a request to install a splash pad at Blackberry Farm. This
request was denied by the City Council. There was no mention of a need to resurface the
pools dating back to 2019. Why not?
3. Why was the slide removed in 2022 without notice?
4. During the CIP, the previous City Manager had said that the slide should be replaced by a
splash pad at a cost of $500K because the slide required two employees to operate along
with OSHA training. Seems to me that spending $500 - $700K to replace the slide to save on
an additional employee along with training does not pencil out – we’re looking at twenty to
forty years or so and by that time, the amenity would require replacement.
5. History - In 2009, the Blackberry Farm pool complex was renovated. It would be another
season in 2010, until a new slide was installed. Soon after, maybe around 2014 that slide was
replaced or significantly modified. Around 2016, the idea of the splash pad came about. This
concept appeared to be in addition to the existing slide. Attached please find a memo that I
sent to the City last may showing the splash pad coming up in CIPs going back to 2016. We
need to understand the full history of what happened, what is being requested, and why it is
being requested.
Thank You Very for doing you due diligence.
Rhoda Fry
From:Susan Michael AIA
To:Peggy Griffin
Cc:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:RE: 2022-12-6 CC Agenda Item #12 - Blackberry Farm Pools
Date:Tuesday, December 6, 2022 3:35:10 PM
Attachments:2022 BBF Pools BID.pdf
image009.png
image010.png
image011.png
image012.png
image013.png
image014.png
image015.png
image016.png
Peggy,
Thanks for your inquiry.
I've compiled the Bid request and the Addendums in the attached PDF. In the future, you can
register for Business Opportunities on our website and access this information there.
Sincerely,
Susan Michael
Susan Michael AIA
Capital Improvement Programs Manager
Public Works
susanm@cupertino.org
(408)777-1328/(408)510-0622
-----Original Message-----
From: Peggy Griffin <griffin@compuserve.com>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 9:09 AM
To: Susan Michael AIA <susanm@cupertino.org>
Cc: City Clerk <CityClerk@cupertino.org>; City Council <CityCouncil@cupertino.org>
Subject: 2022-12-6 CC Agenda Item #12 - Blackberry Farm Pools
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi CIP Manager Michaels,
CC agenda item #12 is the renovation of the Blackberry Farm pools for $725k with a 20%
contingency which would bring it to $900k.
Q: Could you send me a copy of the RFP with the scope of work details please?
I support refurbishing the pools because they are one of very few public pools around (Fremont HS,
Rancho Riconada - both very different) and it is critical kids learn to swim and enjoy it. Plus the BBF
pool area has parking to support it. I don’t support moving it to Memorial Park because that would
require more parking that it does not have and it would take away open space that the central and
eastern part of town disparately needs.
I am concerned that the very expensive “splash pad” will return as part of this project when there
was support for a slide instead.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin