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Parks department outlines summer programs, senior services and reopens Lions Café procurement
Summary
Director Gruener and staff reviewed summer programming numbers, senior‑service usage and details of the Lions Café procurement; staff said initial RFPs were unqualified and the city will reissue the solicitation with outreach to local businesses.
Parks and Community Services staff gave a wide‑ranging monthly update on programs, senior services and a planned restart of the procurement process for a new vendor at Lions Park.
Director Michael Gruener highlighted staff recognition and programs. He announced that Emily Pulaski received the city’s October leadership award for coordinating athletic field reservations and leading the field ambassadors program. Gruener said the department will reopen the Lions Café RFP after an initial solicitation produced “three, pretty much unqualified vendors.” He said staff is conducting targeted outreach to about 20 local businesses and plans a pre‑bid walk‑through and Q&A; the city is prioritizing Costa Mesa businesses in scoring the proposals.
Staff gave a summer program recap: Camp Mini Explorers enrolled 44 children ages 3–5; the Summer Rocks program recorded about 455 unique participants at Blair Community Center and 142 at the Downtown Recreation Center; Camp Costa Mesa served 252 unique participants over nine weeks; Smart Camp (a City–Newport‑Mesa School District partnership) had 283 participants; Teen Camp served 79 youth across nine weeks. The Happy Feet Running Club had 108 participants, and a fun run drew about 65 finishers. The Downtown Aquatic Center recorded 676 youth swimming‑lesson enrollments, more than 1,700 adult lap‑swim drop‑ins, and 60 participants filled a five‑day aqua camp.
Senior services and transportation figures were also reported. The Costa Mesa Senior Center has nearly 5,000 active members; staff recorded 3,762 Meals on Wheels lunches served over the summer and the taxi program provided 7,406 rides during the last three months. The senior center’s community outreach worker held 81 one‑on‑one appointments during the summer.
Staff also listed upcoming events and volunteer opportunities: California Biodiversity Day (Fairview Park, Sept. 13); Art Venture exhibition opening Sept. 13 at the Norma Herzog Community Center and an awards ceremony Sept. 20 at the Orange County Museum of Art; a volunteer restoration day at Fairview Park on the second Saturday of each month; Hispanic Heritage Month events Sept. 27 at Lions Park; Scarecrow Festival Oct. 11; and Wicked Dance (Access Costa Mesa) Oct. 17 at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.
During public comment, resident Matt Garcia praised the department’s programs: “My 2 kids very much enjoy the swimming program, the running club, concerts in the park.”
