REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ANNALISA PEREA, Council Vice President
District 1
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Renaming the Van Ness and Weldon Pocket Park to "Trolley" Park
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of approval of the resolution for the naming of the commonly known Van Ness and Weldon Pocket Park to "Trolley" Park.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On June 9, 2022, City Council approved the Agreement for the Purchase and Sale to acquire a 9,339 square-foot parcel located at 2004 N. Van Ness Boulevard (APN 444-153-28S) for $315,000. The approval also included awarding a construction contract with Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, CA for $457,222 for the development of a public pocket park. On the same date, City Council approved the vacation of a portion of the parcel (APN 444-153-28S) to accommodate Development Permit Application Number P21-05164, allowing for the development of the pocket park.
On July 29, 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony was held with former District One Councilmember Esmeralda Soria, Scott Mozier, Director of Public Works Department, and Aaron Aguirre, Director of Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department marking the commencement of construction for Van Ness and Weldon Park.
The genesis of this project lies in the rich historical tapestry of the Fresno High Neighborhood and Fresno's former trolley car system, which traversed Van Ness and Weldon until its discontinuation in 1939. The Fresno Station, which was incorporated into the City of Fresno in 1885, witnessed the expansion of streetcar lines across Fresno, with the Roeding Park streetcar line completed by 1912. Notably, the Wishon Line Car, an extension of this car line, passed under the Santa Fe tracks and through the 1914 Wishon Ave underpass just south of Shields Avenue. Although this underpass has been transformed into a new roadway, it remains an integral part of a broader collection of historical artifacts in the Fresno High neighborhood, alon...
Click here for full text