Residents hoping to gain more public access to the fields and tennis courts at Peterson Middle School will have to put their aspirations on hold.
Discussions between the city of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) about entering a joint-use agreement for open space at Peterson Middle School are on pause while the district is embarking on a strategic planning process. The plan would include needed improvements to the school’s open space areas.
A school bond for capital improvements is also in the works and is planned for the ballot in November.
In the meantime, the Sunnyvale Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the city continue the conversation as things move forward.
On Sept. 10, the commission voted 4-0 to stay in communication with the school district over the possibility of a joint use agreement.
“I have seen the conditions of the fields and I’ve played on the tennis courts; they are in dire need of some TLC, so I plan on voting for this,” Commissioner Craig Pasqua said during the meeting. “And another reason is because with the potential loss of the Raynor Park facility, we may lose some of our recreation space as well.”
The idea to explore a joint use agreement was proposed by Sunnyvale resident Denise DeLange, who earlier this year voiced concerns about the increased use of Raynor Park after its sale to the for-profit, private Stratford School.
While there are signs that state access to Peterson Middle School is restricted and all visitors must register in the school’s office, the open space areas are not locked and can be accessed from Dunford Way, Teal Drive and also off of Rosalia Avenue.
According to Sunnyvale parks superintendent Scott Morton, current conditions of the open space range from fair to unusable.
“The ball field, between the nature area part of campus near Full Circle Farm, the track field and surrounding area and also the tennis courts are all in need of capital improvements,” Morton said during the meeting. “The poorest conditions are the multipurpose field with the existing baseball back stop.”
The city held public meetings in June attended by nearly 50 people and initiated a survey in June to collect feedback on the idea.
Residents who took the survey suggested opening the fields to youth sports leagues or doing something similar to Cabrillo Middle School, which offers a youth activity center, skate park, summer recreation sessions and youth sports on the weekends.
SCUSD has indicated that part of its strategic planning process will consider whether to reopen Patrick Henry Elementary School, which is adjacent to Peterson.
According to city staff, the district wants to complete its evaluation of academic needs for the campus before considering a joint-use agreement with the city, as reopening the elementary school could change the use of existing open space.
Residents will have another opportunity to share their thoughts on the matter when it is scheduled to go before the city council on Oct. 28.
The city has agreements with other school districts within the city’s boundaries, in which the city maintains the fields and in exchange the district makes the space available to the public when not in use by the schools.
The city has a joint use agreement with the Santa Clara Unified School District for the open space at Braly and Ponderosa schools that is very similar to the ones it has with the Sunnyvale and Cupertino Union school districts.
The agreements include all school open space associated with elementary and middle schools that are within Sunnyvale city limits, just not for Peterson Middle School.
