Verdugo Park

After four years, the Verdugo Park pool remains closed (“ Verdugo pool opening pushed back ,” April 21.) Dave Golonski, who's been on the City Council for 18 years and mayor three times, “waffles” about writing a letter to the editor and “hopes” for a solid time frame. Assistant director of city engineering Sean Corrigan “wishes” the design process had gone more quickly. In those same four years, the complete remodel of the Water and Power complex moved along apace and is apparently the shining new symbol of Burbank, as we are continually reminded in glossily expensive multipage inserts and mailings, yet the Verdugo Park pool remains closed.

--Irma Lemus BURBANK -- The Burbank Recycle Center will offer residents several ways have their Christmas trees recycled. In addition to curbside or alley collection, Christmas trees can be dropped off at Brace Canyon Park and Verdugo Park. Cut-up trees also can be placed in green waste containers with other yard trimmings for regular trash pickup. This year's Christmas Tree Recycling Program runs through Friday. Park drop-off points are the Brace Canyon Park parking lot, 2850 Haven Way, and the south side of Verdugo Park, 3201 W. Verdugo Ave. To prepare trees for recycling, the center suggests removing tinsel, ornaments and any other plastic or metal attached to the tree.

With construction on a major overhaul of Verdugo Park pool keeping demand high, Burbank will divert nearly $46,000 to extend the aquatic season at McCambridge Park for an additional five weeks. The City Council unanimously agreed to extend the swim season to mid-October by using money set aside for the swim season at Verdugo Park. Burbank's aquatic season usually runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Mayor Dave Golonski said last week that he wanted to look at extending the swim season because the community was upset about the Verdugo pool not being open.

After shoring up utilities and other infrastructure, heavy construction on the Verdugo Park community pool is in high gear, putting a long-awaited project on schedule, the official overseeing the work said. On Monday morning, three sides of the patio deck had been removed and was scheduled to be completely gutted by Thursday, said City Engineer Sean Corrigan, who is overseeing the construction. As the project enters its heavy construction phase, he said he did not anticipate the public would be affected.

Irma Lemus VERDUGO PARK -- A formula of carnival rides, food and entertainment resulted in a whole lot of fun Thursday for the first day of the 53rd Annual Days of Verdugo festival. The four-day festival, the oldest event in Glendale, will run through Sunday, said festival chair Raymond Cooke. The festival is sponsored by the Glendale Junior Chamber of Commerce and celebrates the city's Spanish heritage. The Verdugos were the first Spanish family to settle in Glendale in the late 18th century.

Molly Shore Got Wheels!, the Burbank youth transportation program begins its third summer of operation, running 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays until Labor Day. Burbank youths, 10 to 18, can ride free in city passenger vans to various sites in Burbank, including two new stops to the Empire Center, and the Burbank Skate Park. Other destinations include McCambridge and Verdugo park pools, Izay Park, Burbank Family YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, DeBell 3-Par golf course, Media City Center and all public libraries.

Robert Blechl CIVIC CENTER -- The Burbank Civic Pride Committee is encouraging citizens, businesses and organizations to participate in the 45th annual Plant-A-Tree Month. To sign up, donations in increments of $5 must be submitted by March 21 to Plant-A-Tree Program, Burbank Civic Pride Committee, 275 E. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91502. Make checks payable to the City of Burbank. Contributions will help raise funds for new trees to be planted along the Chandler Boulevard Parkway Corridor.

Verdugo holiday basketball camp For the third straight year, Verdugo Park will be the site of the Verdugo Recreational Center Holiday Basketball Camp. The event, sponsored by the Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Dept., will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 23, 24, 26, 27 and is open to boys and girls from fourth to eighth grade. Players with all skill levels are welcome. The cost is $50. The deadline to register is Dec. 16. Run by longtime Park & Rec, parochial and high school Coach Mike Graceffo -- who has coached at Burbank and Burroughs highs -- its main purpose is to help players learn and hone their basketball skills.

The Meyer family of Burbank will be hosting a haunted house fundraiser at its 907 N. California St. home to benefit the Burbank Arts Education Foundation from 7 to 10 p.m. Call (818) 954-1998. ? The Burbank-Valley Garden Club will meet at 10 a.m. in the Assembly Building of Verdugo Park, 700 N. California St., Burbank. Landscape architect Kathy Cerra is the speaker. The topic is ?Shaping the Garden Spaces.? A potluck luncheon will follow. For more information, call (818)

Swimmers at the McCambridge Park pool will have five additional weeks in which to splash around this year as city officials report above-average demand amid a prolonged heat wave. The Burbank City Council on Tuesday officially approved extending the aquatic season at McCambridge through Oct. 15, five weeks past the original closing date of Sept. 9. Extending the season will cost $45,943, said Judie Wilke, the city's new director of parks, recreation and community services. The staffing cost of $29,523 will come from funds set aside for the swim season at Verdugo Park, where the pool has been closed this summer for a major renovation, Wilke said.

With construction on a major overhaul of Verdugo Park pool keeping demand high, Burbank will divert nearly $46,000 to extend the aquatic season at McCambridge Park for an additional five weeks. The City Council unanimously agreed to extend the swim season to mid-October by using money set aside for the swim season at Verdugo Park. Burbank's aquatic season usually runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Mayor Dave Golonski said last week that he wanted to look at extending the swim season because the community was upset about the Verdugo pool not being open.

After shoring up utilities and other infrastructure, heavy construction on the Verdugo Park community pool is in high gear, putting a long-awaited project on schedule, the official overseeing the work said. On Monday morning, three sides of the patio deck had been removed and was scheduled to be completely gutted by Thursday, said City Engineer Sean Corrigan, who is overseeing the construction. As the project enters its heavy construction phase, he said he did not anticipate the public would be affected.

The dark green mesh fence that surrounds the pool at Verdugo Park belies a busy schedule of prep work before heavy construction on new facilities starts - a day that can't come soon enough for visitors grappling with the temporary loss of some parking. Sean Corrigan, the city engineer overseeing the project, said work currently includes “isolating utilities” in the upstairs recreation center - such as water lines - so the facility can remain open to the public. “As soon as that's complete, we will start knocking down walls,” Corrigan said.

It was a mix of frustration and bated breath among residents who attended a public meeting Monday on the progress of revamping the long-closed pool at Verdugo Park. The meeting - called for by the City Council after fielding complaints from residents who were frustrated by delays in reopening the community pool, which has been closed since 2008 - was meant to catch people up on city plans to move forward with the project. The council recently signed a nearly $5.2-million construction contract with Novus Construction to revamp the pool.

After four years, the Verdugo Park pool remains closed (“ Verdugo pool opening pushed back ,” April 21.) Dave Golonski, who's been on the City Council for 18 years and mayor three times, “waffles” about writing a letter to the editor and “hopes” for a solid time frame. Assistant director of city engineering Sean Corrigan “wishes” the design process had gone more quickly. In those same four years, the complete remodel of the Water and Power complex moved along apace and is apparently the shining new symbol of Burbank, as we are continually reminded in glossily expensive multipage inserts and mailings, yet the Verdugo Park pool remains closed.

TODAY The Thrift Shop operated by La Providencia Guild of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles offers a special shopping day for seniors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday at the Childrens Hospital Thrift Shop, 3301 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank. All merchandise, including gently worn clothing, collectibles, household items and books, will be discounted 10% for seniors. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. All items have been donated and sales benefit the hospital.

MEMORIAL AT PACIFIC PARK A proposal introduced by Vietnam veteran Mickey DePalo called for Pacific Park to be renamed in honor of fallen Cpl. Leonard ?Larry? Maxam before Memorial Day. Maxam died fending off an enemy advance in Vietnam and is the only Burbank resident to ever be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. WHAT IT MEANS Pacific Park will have a memorial in honor of Maxam, likely in the form of a flagpole and a plaque. The proposed amount of $25,000 will be revisited by the council at a later date.