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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3a: Establishment of the "Thoroughbred Walk of Champion". [Type text] DATE: March 5, 2013 TO: HonorableMayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director SUBJECT: REPORT, DISCUSSION, AND DIRECTION CONCERNING ESTABLISHMENT OF THE "THOROUGHBRED RACING WALK OF CHAMPIONS" ON CITY SIDEWALKS AND RIGHT-OF-WAY Recommendation: Approve in Concept SUMMARY A private citizen planning committee has been established to develop a “Thoroughbred Racing Walk of Champions” (Walk of Champions) on sidewalks in Downtown Arcadia. Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Walk of Champions would honor the history of thoroughbred racing in Arcadia and elsewhere through the placement of informational and interactive plaques in City sidewalks. It is requested that the City Council consider approval of this concept to use City sidewalks in this manner. BACKGROUND A private citizen planning committee, made up of Gail Marshall, Beth Costanza, Sandy Snider, and Matt McSweeny, has been formed with the goal of honoring and promoting thoroughbred racing and many of the horses, jockeys, trainers, and horse owners that have made it such an important part of Arcadia’s history. The Walk of Champions is envisioned as a way to create awareness and interest in racing by creating a visible, interactive walk through Downtown Arcadia. The Walk of Champions is planned to begin in the Downtown area along Huntington Drive between Santa Anita Avenue and Second Avenue, and will include plaques installed in sidewalk locations. It is envisioned that the kick-off of the project would include about 50 bronze plaques, detailing historic horses and notable figures from thoroughbred racing. The goal would then be to install additional new plaques each year based on a nomination process. Funding for the original 50 plaques is being sought from sponsors and/or major donors. Additional plaques, at an estimated cost of $3,500 each, would be funded by the person/organization nominating the potential honoree. An example of the proposed plaque that would be placed in the sidewalk is included as Exhibit A. Thoroughbred Walk of Champions March 5, 2013 Page 2 DISCUSSION There are three primary considerations with the establishment of the Thoroughbred Racing Walk of Champions in Downtown Arcadia:  Does the City Council wish to utilize City sidewalks and right-of-way for this purpose?  Is the Walk of Champions consistent with plans for Downtown Arcadia, the Gold Line light rail station, and upcoming City projects and efforts?  Is this City Council supportive of utilizing Public Works Services Staff for installation and maintenance of the plaques? Sidewalk installations have not been contemplated in the past in Arcadia, nor has the City completed such work before. That being said, there are examples of plaques, artwork, unique materials, and other features that have been successfully added to sidewalks throughout the region. An obvious example is the Hollywood Walk of Fame; but on a lesser scale the Cities of Alhambra and San Gabriel have examples of artistic tiles and historic markers that have been successfully added to sidewalks in their downtown areas. While there would be some limited concern over the potential of increased liability of the plaques being on the walking surface, the City’s insurance pool has indicated that the project would not affect annual premiums. In addition, the group organizing this effort has spoken to a company that makes these plaques for placement throughout the country; the items are designed specifically to avoid trip and slip hazards. With regard to the second bullet above, the Walk of Champions is viewed by proponents as a way to not only promote thoroughbred racing and its history within Arcadia, but also to and add visual interest and value to the Downtown. The Gold Line light rail station, parking structure, and transit plaza will dramatically alter this portion of Arcadia and there will be a great deal more foot traffic and activity in the area in the coming years. As a result, an effort to enhance the sidewalks in the area is appropriate and welcomed. Although a detailed location map has not yet been established, plaque locations and a “walking route” will be planned in concert with all improvements expected to be constructed through the Gold Line project. In addition, the City has a current grant project (expected to be funded in 2015) to enhance sidewalks, street furniture, wayfinding signage, and the pedestrian environment to and from the Gold Line Station. The Walk of Champions project will be consistent with these improvements. Finally, there is the issue of installation and maintenance of the plaques over time. An ongoing committee would be established to approve nominations, receive money, and continue the planning and execution of the project. Despite this, it is planned that the installation and ongoing maintenance for this project will be completed by the Public Thoroughbred Walk of Champions March 5, 2013 Page 3 Works Services Department. Following the initial installation, the cost for each plaque to be placed by PWSD will be built into the nomination cost for the plaque. Ongoing maintenance and cleaning will be the responsibility of the PWSD as part of their operations budget. Although these costs and efforts are expected to be minimal, they would remain the City’s responsibility. The City Council could charge the organizing committee and annual fee for the maintenance work or could absorb the cost. It would be recommended that this be decided once more is known about the actual effort and cost involved. A final consideration for the Walk of Champions is the overall support the project has among groups in the City. The committee has been working with the Arcadia Downtown Business Association, Arcadia Historical Society, Santa Anita Park, and Arcadia Chamber of Commerce. All of these groups are supportive of the concept and are very interested in seeing it executed. FISCAL IMPACT The Public Works Services Department estimates that the installation of each plaque will cost approximately $300 in labor and materials. This cost will be built in to the cost of nomination of each individual plaque. The cost for potential liability for accidents such as slip-and-falls would also be borne by the City as it is for sidewalks throughout the City. For this reason, it is recommended that ongoing maintenance of the plaques be the responsibility of the Public Works Services Department. This will lead to additional labor costs, but this cost is difficult to estimate at this time. RECOMMENDATION Approve in concept the establishment of the “Thoroughbred Walk of Champions” on City sidewalks and right-of-way. Exhibit A: Example of plaque