Uvas Creek Park Preserve (Christmas Hill Park & Gilroy Sports Complex)

Gilroy, CA

Client: City of Gilroy

Construction Completed: 1999

The vision for a sports park arose from an opportunity to purchase land in a prime location just off Highway 101 and 10th Street. This property had not been developed in any other manner because approximately ? of the site is in a 1% flood plane and was zoned for agriculture and recreation. Jay Beals work with the Parks Director, City Manager, City Engineer, City?s Real Estate Agent and the City?s Attorney to develop a Schematic Plan for a sport complex on the site. The Philosophy was to take advantage of an area that was basically unusable for any other development to accommodate the City?s vastly expanding softball and soccer programs.

The program brought forth by beals alliance and the City was for a Multi-Use complex, as opposed to a dedicated use complex. The design concept allows for a maximum and best use of baseball/softball fields with soccer fields located between them. Each of these ?2 in 1?s? are located side by side with a walkway which links all facilities to the central vehicular circulation and parking spine. The central parking spine was determined to be the most efficient use of space because it maximized the vehicular circulation as a cohesive element and enabled people to walk from that central area to the fields.

Also included were programmatic and fiscal participation from the Little League and the soccer leagues. These elements have resulted in plans for a premier facility with a Little League field and a tournament Big League field separated by a premiere soccer field located in the southeast corner of the site.

This area has its own parking, as well as a restroom facility. Where possible, mini-parks have been associated with these fields and the creek to allow long term stays by players to be comfortable and a positive recreational mode for those that are not actively participating in the sport itself.

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