City Manager Tom Hatch presented Fairview Park Administrator Cynthia D’Agosta with the City Manager Leadership Award for August at the monthly Meet and Greet on Thursday Aug. 23.

“Cynthia is charged with overseeing one of the city’s most beloved parks,” City Manager Hatch said. “She leads the charge on all aspects of the land management and her role requires her to communicate extensively. She has cultivated strong relationships with community members and additional partner agencies that have ties to Fairview Park. The city is fortunate to have her.”

D’Agosta is also responsible for the Fairview Park Steering Committee, which works to provide the City Council with recommendations on the park, through the assistance of Public Services staff. She has worked to educate the committee on the existing Fairview Park Master Plan, on reviewing all existing and approved Capital Improvement Projects and grants at the park, and to formulate and present a set of recommendations to the City Council specifically related to the implications of Measure AA.

In addition, she coordinates general and special park maintenance, oversees the biological monitoring of all sensitive plant and animal species in the park, communicates with local neighbors and stakeholders and assures compliance with state and federal regulations and organizes nature-based educational and volunteer opportunities.

D’Agosta began with the City in September of 2017 as the Fairview Park Administrator.

Her past work experience includes management and design of regional scale urban open spaces for both non- profits and government entities such as the Los Angeles County Dept. of Parks & Recreation, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the National Parks Service and the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority.

D’Agosta is a native Californian and urban open space planner, landscape architect and artist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in science and fine arts from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

In addition to honoring D’Agosta, City Manager Hatch welcomed several new hires and congratulated others on promotions.

New hires include John Begin, who was hired to work as an Outreach Worker on the city’s Network for Homeless Solutions team. Also Ronald Dam moved from part time to full time as the city’s Video Production Specialist.

In the Finance Department, Jennifer King was recognized as the new Assistant Finance Director and Arnold Antonio is the new Fire Department Code Enforcement Officer. In the Parks & Community Services Department Tai Pace is a new Recreation Leader III and in Public Services Hector Soriano is a new Engineering Technician III.

Promotions Include Carlos Henriquez who upgraded to Equipment Mechanic II, Paul Mackinen to Lead Maintenance Worker and Dylan Sickler to Fire Protection Specialist.

Costa Mesa Mayor Sandy Genis presented longtime youth baseball coach and volunteer Todd Cowley with the Mayor’s Award at the Tuesday Aug. 7 City Council meeting.

A 24-year Costa Mesa resident, Cowley has volunteered with the Costa Mesa American Little League for years and since 2011 he also served as league president.

“For your years of service to this community, your extraordinary leadership and your passion for Little League Baseball it is my honor and privilege to present you with the Mayor’s Award,” Mayor Genis said.

For more about Cowley’s dedication to the Costa Mesa community watch the video below.

The Parks and Community Services Department and the Cultural Arts Committee are currently working with Arts Orange County to complete an Arts and Culture Master Plan.

The master plan will serve as a tool that will guide the development of arts and culture related projects, programs and initiatives in the City and will help to personify Costa Mesa as the “City of the Arts”.

An important part of the Master Plan process is to hear from the public regarding ideas, visions, hopes and wishes for the City’s arts and culture future!

The public is invited to participate via in-person forums and focus groups as well as through a short on-line survey, found here. Public outreach sessions are scheduled for:

Tuesday, March 27, 6 p.m. Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19th St.

Wednesday, March 28, 7:30 a.m., Costa Mesa City Hall Conference Room 1A, 77 Fair Dr. (Coffee & light refreshments provided)

Thursday, March 29, 12 p.m., Balearic Community Center, 1975 Balearic Dr. (bring your own lunch)

Thursday, April 5, 6 p.m., Kaiser Elementary School MPR, 2130 Santa Ana Ave.

Friday, April 6, 1-5 p.m., Costa Mesa City Hall Conference Room 1A, 77 Fair Dr. (drop-in office hours)

Saturday, April 7, 10 a.m., Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19th St.

The Burrowing Owl and the Snowy Egret, an interesting juxtaposition of FVP wildlife!

Official State Grass of CA, Purple Needle Grass (Nassella pulchra) returns to FVP.

Native grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the US.

Website 

Nesting white-tailed kites observed from bluffs of Fairview Park, over-looking Talbert Regional Park, December 2017.  – Courtesy of Lam-Son Vinh

Also The American Bittern in grasslands of Fairview Park, January 2018. – Courtesy of Lam-Son Vinh.

After just a little bit of rain on the week of December 18th, the common Western Toad – Anaxyrus boreas, hit the trails at Fairview Park.

THEIR BACK! Sightings of Burrowing Owls have been on the rise at Fairview Park this season. They are not nesting, just visiting the park. Did you know that Fairview Park is said to have the greatest bird diversity of all parks in Orange County? Come out to view and photograph, you won’t be disappointed!

The City of Costa Parks & Community Services Department has recently appointed Cynthia D’Agosta as the new Fairview Park Adminstrator, who is tasked with maintenance, inspiring local participation and trust in the improvement and protection of Fairview Park.

“Fairview Park as a truly unique and special, local and regional resource, that can serve the community through passive recreation, environmental and cultural education, volunteerism and its pure landscape beauty,” D’Agosta said.

D’Agosta is a native Californian, urban open space planner, landscape architect and artist.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in science and fine arts from UC Santa Cruz and a Master’s Degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

In her 25-year career, she has focused on:  enriching human experiences with local landscapes; supporting and leading communities in the area of preservation; and in the creation of meaningful public spaces.

Her expertise includes community leadership, project management, and planning of urban parks, open spaces, natural areas, and cultural resources. She has studied and performed management and design of regional scale urban open spaces for both non-profits and government entities such as the Los Angeles County Dept. of Parks & Recreation, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the National Parks Service, and the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority.

D’Agosta’s Southern California experiences have included projects for the Los Angeles, San Gabriel, and Santa Ana River restorations; LA County regional parks; and in private practice, designing trails and parks for housing developments of Newport Coast and Rancho Santa Margarita.

Most recently while in the Bay Area, she has served as Executive Director for a multi-jurisdictional urban infrastructure creek project (the SFCJPA), 50-year-old environmental advocacy non-profit, and a historic garden estate.

The Parks and Community Services Department recently launched the return of the Mobile Recreation program at Shalimar Park.

More than 75 kids from the surrounding neighborhoods had the opportunity to engage with staff and recreate in an area that isn’t typically conducive for outdoor recreation.

The program will take place at Shalimar Park on Mondays and Fridays, Lions Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at Ketchum-Libolt Park on Wednesdays during the month of October.

The Daily Pilot featured a story on the program here: http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-cm-mobile-rec-program-20170926-story.html.

Antje Morris, the program director for the City’s popular Gymnastics Program said goodbye on Sept. 1 after a nearly 40-year career.

Morris has taught three generations of Costa Mesa residents while overseeing the program and has been instrumental in the safety training of staff and in the equipment upgrades that have taken place over the years.

Morris is leaving the program in safe hands as she moves into her retirement years.

As a token of appreciation, Morris was presented with a plaque from department staff.

The city’s Mobile Recreation Program is unveiling its new van that will rollout as the program reboots late September with this new vehicle that will be full of athletic equipment, games, art supplies, books and Los Angeles Chargers branding.

It was the Chargers who donated $50,000 to help get the project rolling.

The vehicle will pop-up in various locations throughout the community where park space may be limited or where there is no access to after-school programs.

The Mobile Recreation van has an artistic wrap to represent the essence of the program and the wrap was created with the help of Fleet Services and City Graphic Designer Gina Clark.

The Chargers announced in January that the team would be moving to Los Angeles and then subsequently announced that the team would move its headquarters to the Hive office complex in Costa Mesa.

In March, the team agreed to enter into a 10-year use agreement with the city to practice at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex during the NFL team’s Summer Training Camp. As part of this training camp agreement, the team will provide Costa Mesa with $150,000 a year to use the site for a potential $1.5 million over 10 years and pledged a $50,000 donation to be used for the Mobile Recreation Program.

Costa Mesa Parks & Community Services will again offer after-school programs for both early childhood and teens starting this school year as well as swim lessons for adults and youth.

For elementary-aged children the city offers to the Recreation on Campus for Kids, or R.O.C.K.S, Afterschool Program at 11 sites throughout the city.

The R.O.C.K.S Program will also offer Youth Fitness Programs, showing kids that health and exercise can be fun.

After-school care for teens is offered at three Teen Center locations. These free programs take place at the Downtown Recreation Center, TeWinkle Intermediate, and Costa Mesa Middle School and will be open on the first day of school, Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Any teenagers who want to stop by after school, make a few new friends, try something new and have a good time are welcome.

Teen Center permission slips will be available at 7th and 8th grade registration days at Costa Mesa Middle School, TeWinkle Intermediate, and Ensign Intermediate. Please call (714) 327-7562 for more information.

Click here for more.

Additionally, fall youth and adult swim lessons will be held at the Downtown Aquatic Center at 1860 Anaheim Ave. beginning Tuesday, Sept. 5. Registration will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 8 a.m. online or at the Downtown Aquatic Center.

The pool is heated year-round. Please call (714) 327-7564 for more information.

Check out the city’s website for a full listing of fall programs and classes by clicking here.