We’re ready for the Villages project to be done. So, when Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District Administrator Mike Aho, who has been overseeing the entire Village project, enthusiastically agreed to talk to us about how things are going during a guided behind-the-scenes tour, our questions had to be ready.
At the top of our list was one big question:
“When will this be finished?”
After meeting with Aho in October, we thought, “No wonder it’s been taking so long!” and had a skip in our step about what’s to come.
So When Will it Be Finished?
With a slight hesitation, Aho tells us that while the most recent tentative open date shared with the community was Jan. 28, that changed again. New challenges with the road surrounding the site have come up, which will likely push the completion date to the end of March.
Why is it Taking So Long?
It’s daunting to describe this massive project’s complexities. The easiest way to sum it up is that Fair Oaks is a historical town. While the historic charm makes it lovable, this fact has required many complex solutions to preserve the historical integrity while bringing the facilities up to modern needs and standards.
It can be easy to forget that the structures and spaces being redeveloped and the supporting infrastructure were built in the early-to-mid 1900s when accessibility, construction, and safety standards weren’t on anyone’s radar. As construction crews have moved into different project phases and gone deeper into the ground, one “adventure” after another has popped up. “[We] didn’t know how broken the toy was,” Aho says. It’s these slowdowns that have kept the completion date a moving target.
Infrastructure of Yesteryear
When the road was initially laid, Aho says, “You could pour some asphalt on top of dirt and call it a day.” Things like sloping, drainage, and traffic were taken for granted until they went awry. Nowadays, they have to be remedied.
Once these are fixed, it’s not as easy as picking any old day to get it paved. The weather is critical in how asphalt cures, particularly in California, where our weather is fickle. Paving operations shut down in the fall because there isn’t enough work, and that paving window is firmly shut for now.
While work will keep humming along, without a paved road to enter and assess the spaces, there is no reason to put the time and money into securing a certificate of occupancy (CO). This will be the final and official thumbs-up that the spaces are ready for the public. “The road is the kingpin,” he says.
Further complicating matters is that although the project is four different construction sites, for permitting purposes, it’s still considered a collective unit consisting of the Park, Clubhouse and Amphitheater, so a CO won’t be issued until all are ready. This all-or-nothing requirement eliminates the possibility of any phased opening.
“So, [the inspectors] look at it just like a house. You can’t use your bedroom first without the house being done, so you won’t get your occupancy until you get the house done and inspected. It doesn’t matter if the garage is done.”
Aho went on to share another obstacle that happened with the Clubhouse renovation. While crews were attempting to remedy a pesky leak that plagued the building every winter, they started digging only to discover that a part of the foundation essentially sat on boulders with a small underground lake that formed if it rained enough. It was time to finally rip off the Band-Aids of temporary drainage systems, which required a much deeper dig than anticipated in original timelines.
This “Let’s do it right this time” philosophy will be appreciated for generations to come, Aho says. “It’s not on a shoestring. This is the first time it was done with intention.”
Another way they’ve made things easier for future community members is by sorting out the maze of things going on underground. The project is unique in that it was sitting on multiple land parcels. While attempting to replace water lines and consolidate everything into one parcel, it was discovered that a small portion of land in front of the Clubhouse had no lawful owner who could be reached. An unanticipated legal process to secure possession ensued. That added more time to the project, but now, anytime water or power needs to be accessed, they don’t have to dig the whole park up. “Our ability now to upgrade, change, to do whatever is immensely simplified,” he says.
On top of the hurdles handed down from past generations, remember the global pandemic? The effects are still being felt several years later throughout the trades. A wave of people who reviewed and approved plans with enough experience to keep things moving exited in response to a shift to remote work in trade industries. While the incoming workforce gets their feet wet, approvals are taking much longer. To illustrate this change of pace, Aho told us that he had finally received approval for the park’s shade structure earlier that day, a whole year after submission.
Suffice it to say, a lot has been happening behind that chainlink fence we’ve all been longingly staring at. With a clearer picture of just how tricky this process has been, we asked Aho why it will all be worth it once the fence comes down.
Everybody in the Front Door
Thoughtful consideration of how future generations will use and maintain the space is central to the project, but so is the enjoyment of those patiently waiting for it now. And Aho is clear nobody will be left out of that.
One of the project’s biggest goals is to modernize the park, structures and pathways around it so that they are accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Previously, Aho says, “Anybody who had mobility issues, whether you used a wheelchair or not, you had to come in the side door. It was unacceptable.”
During our tour, he excitedly pointed out how everything can now be accessed. Outside the Clubhouse, a new ramp comes directly from the parking lot. Inside, an electric lift for the stage has been installed and bathrooms have been made accessible. At the playground, the whole family can come to the top of the play hill, and everyone can access the new playground bathrooms at ground level. “We want everybody to come in the front door,” he says. It’s a beautiful sentiment that is both literal and metaphorical.
What Can We Get Excited About?
In addition to more of our fellow community members being able to enjoy the new spaces, Aho painted really great pictures for us of all the things we have to look forward to in each part of the project.
1. Village Park Playground
If you peek at the playground site, you can spot the new equipment sitting in large crates, waiting for some fun to be had. While talking about what he calls a “really, really cool playground” (emphasis on the two “really”s), Aho smiles the whole way through.
He says the design is a “playspace with the bonus of a great playground” that will be an ode to a simpler time when kids could really play, rough and tumble style with a little bit of wrastlin’, with more safety and accessibility. Families can look forward to a 25-foot climbing tower, rope bridge, traditional swingsets, slide hill and a custom concrete slide.
If you think that sounds like a childhood dream come true, that’s because the design team consulted local kids over ice cream sundaes. While some of this original crew may be too old to enjoy their input now, it’s heartwarming to think about their kids or even grandkids playing on it someday.
Creating these warm and fuzzy moments in a cohesive space is central to the vision, Aho says. While we walk through the playground, he gestures up to the Arts and Crafts building and the shade structure next to it. “[The parents] are sitting here at the tables. We have the Arts and Crafts Building and all the stuff for messy birthday parties. We could do an arts and crafts birthday party for 15 kids out here, and then kids can play [on the playground]. You really start connecting again back in the community.”
2. Village Park
While showing us all of the ways Village Park is making its comeback, Aho shares a vision of luring passersby in and making it easy for them to stay with new seating options throughout the park, including multi-level wall seating and stairs that invite you to saunter down into the park.
“You’ll be able to walk over from the Sunflower [Drive-in] and come sit on this wall and enjoy your lunch,” he says. On Concert in the Park Nights, he hopes the allure of live music draws people in. “If someone’s walking or riding their bike, they’re going, ‘Hey, there’s a free concert! And they put their bike there. They sit on the seating wall and just really enjoy it.”
He gets especially jazzed on the topic of Concerts in the Park, and for great reason. In October, it was announced that Fair Oaks Recreation & Parks District was chosen out of 200 applicants to be one of 31 inaugural Arts in California Parks Local Parks Grant Program recipients. Through the grant, $2.8 million will be divvied up among California nonprofit and community organizations to bring art-centered experiences to local parks. FORPD will receive $22K of the pot, which will go toward our beloved summer Concerts in the Park Series.
Giving us permission to get pumped about the series again, Aho says, “We’re going to come in hard and heavy with it next summer. And it allows us to say, ‘What can we do that we always wanted to do with Concerts in the Park?’”
While the grant money will provide an extra cushion to rebuild what Concerts in the Park was, he says it’s important that it’s also sustainable to guarantee a great series for years to come.
3. Community Clubhouse
Standing in front of the Clubhouse entrance and looking out, Aho reflects on all of the possibilities. “I like to hang out here a little bit because it makes me feel good. You look down here, and you can envision it. It’s got that grand entrance,” he says.
As Fair Oaks’ go-to social gathering place for decades, he talks about how much thought has been put into preserving the historical authenticity of the building while being mindful of future needs. “It is the iconic facility in this area, and we wanted to retain that icon and make it where it’s hard to tell that we did anything.”
Outside, new windows, decorative railing and accents like the tops of pillars will intentionally fool you into thinking they’ve always been a part of the building. Interior upgrades won’t be obvious since the improvements will be more about the experience, with added safety features like a fire suppression and alarm system and a heating-cooling system that isn’t temperamental. Empathizing with anyone who has attended an event there in the past, Aho says, “It was freezing. It was hot. It was everything but comfortable.”
Event hosts and guests have new conveniences to such as water bottle fill stations and a room in the foyer that can be used for things like guest check-ins. When you add these improvements to the two kitchen spaces and the added accessibility, this local icon has resecured its spot as a primary local event space.
3. Fair Oaks Performing Arts Center and Veterans Memorial Amphitheatre
If the Clubhouse is an icon, the brand-spanking new Fair Oaks Performing Arts Center is the Crown Jewel of the whole project. From the beautiful honeycomb tile work on the outside to the massive motorized airplane hangar doors, it is already stunning even in its incomplete form.
Walking through the space is nothing short of exciting, and those hangar doors are really something to write home about. They are not only grand to look at but have a practical purpose, too. When the hangar doors are closed, it’s a black box theater for an intimate theatrical experience for around 200 people, rain or shine. When they are opened, it becomes an ampitheater.
Significant thought has been put into how the space will be used for different events and crowd sizes. Individual lighted seating with cupholders will make for a comfortable theatrical experience. During concerts, two rows of seats can be removed to make room to groove.
“This space is still a piece of clay for us,” Aho says, talking about how the team is still dreaming up how the new Performing Arts Center will be used. Central to that, of course, will be theatrical performances. He puts any concerns to rest about the time-honored relationship with the Fair Oaks Theater Festival, naming them as the Center’s first contract.
Speaking of theater, anyone who regularly attended shows at the former Amphitheatre should be ready to time travel. AV infrastructure may not seem exciting until you realize what the 800 or so miles of wiring lining the current construction zone means: epic audio and visual experiences that are a far cry from the outdated technology of the past.
Show-goers aren’t the only ones in for a treat. Performers and acting troupes will be spoiled with an intercom system to communicate between the front and back of the house, show streaming capabilities, new community rooms with moveable dividers that double as green rooms for easy costume changes and private bathroom and kitchen areas.
One of the most innovative features can be found at the very top of the building: rooftop smoke hatches that automatically open to release heat should a fire occur. It’s one of those things nobody ever wants to consider but will be grateful for in the unlikely event of an emergency—just one more way to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors.
3. Plaza Stage
As we exit the Performing Arts Center and walk out into the Plaza, Aho’s eyes light up while daydreaming about what he has dubbed “the Village’s front yard,” consisting of a small acoustic stage and the dreamy tree-lined Plaza in front of it.
“It’s just going to be that cool vibe. You’re going to bring your chair [or blanket], or you’re just going to be walking by going, ‘What’s going on over there’?”
Like the passerby walking or cycling past Village Park, he says it’s that exciting feeling of spontaneity that will pull people in for a great night and then keep Fair Oaks at top of mind to come back and see what else is happening. After all, there is no better marketing than seeing people having a wonderful time.
With plans for market lights strung overhead, tabletop seating that can be moved depending on the size of your group and plenty of blanket space on a grass system that will be able to withstand lots of foot traffic for years to come, it’s easy to imagine a perfect Fair Oaks evening here.
While the space is a blank slate for everything from poetry readings to pop-up markets, one event is guaranteed. With a big grin, Aho shares that the Plaza Stage has been designed with the tree in mind for a treasured local holiday tradition, the Fair Oaks Tree Lighting.
Returning to the logistics of the Plaza, he is aware of the concerns businesses have about too much traffic. He is sure the benefit of drawing people into the Village during traditionally slower times of the week outweighs the risk of overrunning it. “Maybe we will get a little busier, but we’re not going to get so busy that we’re all fighting for the same resources.”
The plan isn’t to do a number of big events but rather to focus on the quality of experiences for smaller crowds. Aho says, “It feels better with 300 people instead of 3,000. You feel like you’re part of the community and have that great feeling.”
The Home Stretch
We did have another question for him. What has been his favorite part about overseeing this massive project?
“The team. And I include the community in the team,” Aho says, acknowledging the shared frustration of being in limbo for the past five years. He understands it’s hard to stay on the edge of your seat for so long, but the sustained excitement from the team and the entire community hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Bringing it back to our original question. How soon can we start experiencing all of these exciting things? Well, the target is still moving, but hold on to your hats. With most of the critical infrastructure in place, things will start moving quickly from here on out.
“When it gets to this place, you know you’re in the home stretch,” Aho says. “It’s a pretty simple process now because once we get above ground, everything becomes a little bit easier.”
It has been said that good things come to those who wait, and we will be more than ready for all the great things to come.
See more video from our tour here.
