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RDA Five Year Implementation Plan (2010-2014)
Youth Workshops Summary
Fall 2009

The Redevelopment Agency staff and Supervisor Leopold and his staff conducted four youth workshops in the fall of 2009 working in cooperation with the Boys-and-Girls Club, The Core and Andy Shapiro, an 8th grade teacher at the New Brighton Middle School. At these youth workshops, the participants were given an opportunity to engage in a civic activity geared to them while the other sectors of the community were involved in the fall community workshops. Over 100 youth with ages ranging from primarily 11 to 15 years in age participated in these youth workshops to share their vision for fun in Soquel and Live Oak.


The format of the youth workshops was designed to encourage an all inclusive and creative brainstorming session without any limitations. At each workshop, the youth were first asked to brainstorm in smaller groups and were encouraged to freely list any and all ideas. All youth enthusiastically expressed their desire for a wide range of new recreational facilities and activities! Then all the table ideas were compiled into one list and the youth were asked to indicate their favorites by placing colored dots on the items they would like to see in their vision of the future of Live Oak and Soquel. Each youth group had their own favorites but it seems that water related recreational activities were desired by all groups. Each group’s top ideas and other information about them is as follows:


  • Boys and Girls Club- 28 participants from the Shoreline Middle School with ages ranging from 11-13. Their tied top ideas were: Swimming Pool/Waterslide, Weight Room and Indoor Basketball,
  • The Core- 32 youth with ages ranging from 5-16. Mostly the group was comprised of youth in the age range was 12-16. Their top choices were (1) Stand Up Wave Pool, (2) Indoor Skate Park, (3), Dirt Park Track/Paint Ball and (4) Water slide, and
  • New Brighton Middle School 8th Grade- 57 participants total for two 8th grade classes. Their top ideas were: (1) Wave House/Water Park/Pool, (2) Paintball, and (3) Mini-Golf.

Aspects of some of these and other creative ideas maybe incorporated into the future design of the Parks Department’s recreational facilities. For example, a BMX dirt park track and a small skate feature are proposed at the new neighborhood park planned for Chanticleer Avenue.