COMMENT 101147
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2010-08-28 08:59 AM |
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One can never go past this park without saying thanks to those who rescued our town from having two 13 story high rise towers on this very spot. 30 plus years ago this was a vacant, weedy, flat abandoned lot. Now it looks like has been there forever and speaks for everything we honor in Santa Barbara. The value of investing in parks with the vision and execution this one exemplifies is so appreciated and all those who played critical roles seeing this plan go forth deserve out ever lasting gratitude. I always think of La Jolla, with whom we share many similar geographical and architectural gifts, yet La Jolla is permanently marred by those few ugly high-rises before they prohibited such over-size buildings in their small town. But for La Jolla, this vision came too late. May we never let development zeal over-take our town and blot ius with its out-of-scale ugliness forever.
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COMMENT 101191P
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2010-08-28 12:15 PM |
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Edhat readers interested in learning more about Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens can get (the downtown library or all local bookstores) a book called "Alice's Garden". Written a couple years ago by Anne-Marie Castleberg, the wife of the Landscape Architect who designed the park in 1978. The history of the woman and the land are fascinating and the photos by local photographer Ralph Clevanger are breath-taking. Interesting facts: David Park, Alice's husband is the namesake for Park Lane in Montecito. The property at one point was slated to be an 11 story condo complex that covered the entire block; that was the case in fact that helped to set the building height restrictions in Santa Barbara. Alice Keck's family is from the wealth Keck Oil empire and who's namesake can be heard daily in NPR as a sponsor.
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COMMENT 101147
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2010-08-28 12:18 PM |
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Actually, it was a block of 11 story condos planned for that spot. The Granada Building is 8 stories, so you can picture the block full of buildings taller than the Granada building multiplied a few times over. If you wonder about our city planning process, realize this almost happened and not that long ago. How different our town would be had it taken that direction. And Plan SB as visioned by city staff continues to want to take it in this direction with clusters of highrises scattered around town. There is a book called Alice's Garden that tells the whole story and it is a rip-roaring one with a small dose of bodice ripping as well when it all sorted out.
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COMMENT 101226
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2010-08-28 06:04 PM |
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And the parking around Park Park is called Park Park Park, while the old marketing plan for the parking said: Park Park Park Park!
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JAZZEE
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2010-08-28 06:42 PM |
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And if you go on Wednesdays, perhaps around 5 p.m. (sorry, I'm not sure about the time) you can enjoy a bluegrass jam with local fiddlers in the gazebo.
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MOARTS51
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2010-08-29 08:57 AM |
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This is one of my favorite little places in downtown. While visiting my mom in Cottage Hospital this week, I noticed Alice Keck Park's picture on the wall as one of the contributor's to the original Cottage and only then did I see her last name was Park and I laughed to myself thinking - it's the Alice Keck Park Park.. and then this story. Timing really is everything. LMAO
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COMMENT 101267
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2010-08-29 09:20 AM |
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and didn't the Community Environmental Association begin there? I seem to remember walking there in the early 1970's -- Hal Conklin and Paul Relis? Now I can enjoy the open spaces and the benches tucked in here and there. But already too many turtles! and not enough fish --.
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COMMENT 101285P
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2010-08-29 11:07 AM |
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Numerous sources in my Google Univ. Library indicate that it's "Gardens" (plural).
We need a ruling on this.
In either case, lovely place, lovely photos, thanks.
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COMMENT 101340P
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2010-08-29 02:54 PM |
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The saddest thing about this wonderful place, Alice's Garden, is the sad state of the maintenance. I think we al understand these days about the city's budget. But even so, there never seems to be a shortage of wealth donors ready to suport Lotusland, or provide millions and millions for the Granada, Cottage Hospital etc. It would be great if there could be a grassroots effort to generate enought money to keep this park lovely and available to everyone. Any Ideas?
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COMMENT 101340P
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2010-08-29 02:59 PM |
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For Plant Lovers and Gardeners - Updated Plant List There is an updated, complete plant list in the book "Alice's Garden" by Anne-Marie Castleberg, wife of landscape architect Grant Casteleberg who designed the park. The book is available at the library, book stores or the Botanic Garden who published this coffee table beauty (with fabulaous photos by Ralph Clevenger) a few years ago.
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COMMENT 101147
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2010-08-29 05:44 PM |
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It is not the sad state of the city budget or the sad state of city maintenance. It is the hugely inefficient insistence on integrated pest management that ends up with gardens looking badly cared for but "green". You can't stay ahead of things with the same public park standard as you can with conventional and non-abusive public garden management techniques when you use IPM. So no complaints about its state of maintenance because it is "natural" and that is why the lawn always looks like heck and the weeds choke the display plantings. The worst pollution however comes from the kids who run around pounding on the recorded messages for the sight-impaired visitors turning the noise cycle on over and over again and then running away because they think it is some sort of pinball machine game. Yes, this makes me grumpy.
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COMMENT 101816
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2010-08-31 12:42 PM |
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I love this park and my kids really love the wildlife. However, last time I was there with my little girl in the mid-afternoon, a bunch of bangers were getting stoned at the sundial. I hope this park is being patrolled. I thought that was pretty blatent and sad.
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