Special Park Commission Meeting on Dracena Park Bridge Thursday

The Piedmont Park Commission will hold a special meeting Thursday, May 23, to continue consideration of an Eagle Scout candidate's proposal to build a footbridge in Dracena Quarry Park.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers. It will be broadcast live on KCOM, Channel 37, the city's public access channel, and also available online via streaming video.

Cole Becker, a Piedmont High School student, wants to build the bridge above the off-leash dog area, replacing a similar bridge that was removed in the 1970s because of vandalism. It would be privately financed, with Cole's father (building designer Mark Becker, who designed the new Havens School) guaranteeing to make up any shortfall in fundraising.

Cole Becker has outlined his plan to the commission before, although the design of the bridge has changed from a suspension bridge to a beam support structure.

There's an illustration of approximately how the bridge would appear posted in Dracena Quarry Park (close to the bottom of stone steps leading down from Park Way).

You may read more about the project in the minutes of the Park Commission's May 1 meeting and in this MercuryNews.com article.