West Covina commissioners table leadership picks, press staff on parks master plan and splash pad repairs

The West Covina Community and Senior Services Commission on Thursday voted to table selection of its chair, vice chair and several ad hoc committees until the commission’s September meeting, and devoted much of its meeting to updates on the city’s parks master plan and a splash pad outage.

The commission approved the minutes of its May 13 meeting and later passed a motion to postpone consideration of agenda items 2, 3 and 4 — which include leadership selections and ad hoc committee appointments — until September so commissioners could have more time to consider nominations and committee proposals. Commissioners also voted to adjourn at the end of the meeting.

Why it matters: Commissioners said a full roster present at Thursday’s meeting made September a better time to finalize leadership roles and committee assignments. The parks master plan and a malfunctioning splash pad were presented as more immediate operational concerns affecting residents’ summer activities.

On the parks master plan, staff said a third workshop originally scheduled for mid‑July was postponed to July 31 and will be held at Palm View Park from 6 to 8 p.m.; the online survey remains open. Recreation Services Supervisor Vanessa Ybanez urged outreach, saying, “Parks do make lives better,” and staff said they will resend the survey link and attempt to reach more residents. Staff also agreed to provide printed survey copies for stakeholders who do not regularly use email or who have vision limitations.

Commissioners and members of the public raised the Del Norte splash pad as an immediate service issue. City staff reported that parts needed to repair the splash pad are on back order and that there is no firm timeline for completion; staff committed to following up with the public works superintendent and reporting back to commissioners. Several commissioners emphasized the importance of having splash pads and other water features working during hot weather, particularly for residents without air conditioning.

Commissioners used their reports to highlight recent and upcoming city events — including the Fourth of July celebration, Summerfest and an all‑day youth baseball tournament July 11 that includes an all‑star game and other activations — and to urge commissioners to help promote the parks master plan survey and to attend the July 31 workshop. Staff noted national and city programming such as Cool Kids of Summer days and other park activations while repairs are pending.

The meeting closed with public‑service acknowledgements to longtime staff and reminders that the commission will revisit chair and vice‑chair nominations and ad hoc committee memberships at the September meeting.

Ending: Staff will resend the parks master plan survey, print materials for residents who need them, and report back on the splash pad repair timeline; the commission will take up leadership and ad hoc committee appointments at its September meeting.