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Commission meeting spotlights volunteer groups: soccer club, historical society, gardens, equestrian and open-space foundation
Summary
Six nonprofit groups presented to the commission in a 'Year of the Volunteer' series, highlighting volunteer hours, education programs and local partnerships; the Walnut Creek Soccer Club said it serves about 3,000 members and committed $1.5 million to park improvements over 10–15 years.
The Park, Recreation and Open Space Commission dedicated a large portion of its Feb. 2 meeting to six nonprofit presentations as part of a "Year of the Volunteer" series. Groups described volunteer-run education programs, fundraising, facility partnerships with the city and large-scale community events.
John Livingood, president of the Walnut Creek Soccer Club (doing business as Walnut Creek Surf), told the commission the club represents roughly 3,000 members and has committed $1.5 million over the next 10–15 years to help offset facility costs — a total that includes recent investments in Tice Valley lighting and Heather Farms turf. Livingood highlighted the club's outreach program for athletes with physical and cognitive disabilities and described economic impacts from tournaments that bring visitors to local hotels and businesses.
Representatives of the Walnut Creek Historical Society summarized the Shadelands Ranch House museum, third-grade living-history field trips and archival collections; the society noted museum hours and ongoing educational programming. Joan Lucchesi of the Gardens at Heather Farm said the gardens operate 32 demonstration areas, host 60–75 weddings annually as a revenue source, and run education programs reaching roughly 20,000 students per year; she noted a staff of about 20, including 11 teachers.
Speakers from the Equestrian Center described adventure day camps that serve hundreds of children each summer and equine-assisted therapy programs; they emphasized that horses are brought to the facility for events rather than boarded long-term. Kaim Smith of the Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation outlined volunteer coordination across the city's open space, funding for targeted projects such as trail relocation and a research-grant program for pond microplastics.
Commissioners thanked the nonprofits for volunteer contributions and discussed operational issues such as field access and staffing for monitored facilities. The commission did not take formal action on the presentations; staff said it will continue coordination with the nonprofits and report back on project-specific items when appropriate.
