MARTINEZ, Calif. – Acting on a Martinez City Council directive to city staff, the Parks, Recreation, Marina and Cultural Commission (PRMCC) may decide Tuesday that Alhambra Park should be renamed to honor the late Mayor John Sparacino.
The Council told its staff July 23 to start the process of renaming the park, at the corner of Marina Vista and Alhambra avenues after Sparacino, 92, who died April 3.
Sparacino first was chosen mayor in 1973, then again in 1976 and 1978, when the position’s term lasted two years. He was considered a local icon, and was a descendant of a multi-generation Martinez Italian family.
In the park renaming process, the PRMCC gets its say Tuesday before the matter would be sent before the Council, Deputy Director of Administrative Services Michael Chandler wrote in his report.
In other matters, the panel will hear a report on the temporary dog park in the city’s waterfront Park.
Usage has been tracked from February through July using a sign-in sheet, wrote Kara Galindo, recreation coordinator, in her report, and those tallies show about 90 percent of those using the park are Martinez residents. Overall daily use is 31 people, predominantly after noon and on weekends, with Saturday its most popular day.
After an incident in May involving two dogs in the Large Dog area in which one animal was injured, the city augmented its signage about park etiquette and measures to take in situations involving problem dogs or their owners.
The Commission will start work on defining “cultural events” in anticipation of an inventory of such happenings in the city, and will begin developing its work plan.
The Parks, Recreation, Marina and Cultural Commission meeting will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chamber of Martinez City Hall, 525 Henrietta St.
