| | Published August 15th, 2012
| Residents Play Ball at Orinda Wilder Park
| | Laurie Snyder |  | | Orinda Wilder Park saw action last weekend as soccer players filled the open playfields during a tournament. Photo Ohlen Alexander
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Like overheated ducks to a cool pond, softball and soccer enthusiasts are flocking to Orinda's two newest sports facilities - playfields one and two at Orinda Wilder Park.
As part of Phase 1A for park completion, the Orinda City Council accepted the property title from the developer May 29. City staff provided an update regarding the progress on the remaining fields at the Council's August 7 meeting.
Delivery of the Maintenance Building, two Lift Stations, a Comfort Station, and Guest House took place in June. Other items expected by mid-August include the installation of directional signage and completion of a bridge, with final grading, landscaping, and irrigation to be completed by June 1, 2013. A fair portion of the beautification should be finished by October; however, developers have asked for yet another redesign - this time to the creek landscaping - to reduce costs.
Staff is currently holding off on deciding whether the installation of protective fencing for the corner of fields one and two will be needed to keep balls within the play areas. "We don't have any history yet on that one," said City Manager Janet Keeter.
As reported earlier by the Lamorinda Weekly, the developer was required by Council to provide compensation to the City for revenues lost to the company's delays in meeting prior field delivery dates. The City expects to receive a check for $114,450 shortly.
In addition, the developer would like to modify the delivery dates for playfields three and five -City staff expressed confidence that an agreement will be reached. The most recent delivery date projected for these two fields was June 1, 2013.
Playfield four is now not anticipated to be available until 2014, said Scott Goldie, project manager for Brooks Street. Goldie thanked the Council for the opportunity to develop the fields and noted that he had stopped by to watch residents recreating just prior to the Council meeting. "There are a lot of people enjoying the ballfields."
Council Members Victoria Smith and Dean Orr listened patiently, and then reminded Goldie again that the City expects that the agreed upon timeline be met.
Vice Mayor Amy Worth commended Parks and Recreation Director Michelle Lacy for her hard work in ensuring that the first two playfields became operational.
Lacey reported that the fields were already in use at night for adult softball under the new lighting, and announced that a large soccer tournament had been scheduled for the weekend of August 10. She said that she anticipates that there will be a further uptick in field usage by the end of August.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA