From: Sunol Community
News
Save Our Sunol Column
September 1997
By: Pat Stillman
The restoration of the Willis Polk Water Temple is a wish come true for many of us. However, it wasn’t just wishes that made it happen. It involved meetings, letters, lawyers, lawsuits, appearances before Supervisors and Commissioners in both Alameda and San Francisco Counties, hundreds of phone calls and the dedication and commitment of our SOS members.
We also give enormous thanks to Gray Brechin, Tim Such, Ted Buttner, and Angela Alioto, and special praise for Dennis Normandy from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission who envisioned and promoted the Restoration Project during his presidency.
Dennis also created
the Sunol/SFPUC Working Group as an advisory task force. It is composed
of Gray Brechin, Cindy Frillman, Gerry Beemiller and Graham Barnes, who
is the co-chair with me. The Water Temple will be restored to its original
grandeur and beauty and, “... it will never pass into nothingness.”
Greg Lyons from KRON TV came to Sunol September 17 to do a follow-up story
on the Water Temple. Greg is a friend of Gray Brechin who urged him last
year to come to Sunol to do a television report on the deterioration of
the water temple.
Many of us believe that Greg's report was instrumental in gaining public awareness and concern for the temple's condition. His follow-up will include future restoration plans with comments from Dennis Normandy.
SOS recently had a picnic luncheon meeting at the lovely hilltop home of Victoria and Graham Barnes. It was a special day on the Ridge with good food, fellowship and positive announcements affecting our endeavors and activities.
We will be conducting a house-to-house petition drive gathering signatures from Sunol residents who oppose quarrying on the west side of highway I-680 adjacent to the water temple and 300 yards from Sunol Glen School.
It is important that
the PUC and other San Francisco public agencies know that the quarry is
opposed by a large majority of Sunol residents. Anyone interested in circulating
a petition can call me at 862-2263.
The Renaissance Faire is moving through its final season in Novato. Supposedly
they have been conducting focused studies on the Bonita Park site.
The Foothill Road Homeowners’ groups, including Castlewood, Golden Eagle,
Oak Tree Farms and others have hired a legal firm and staff to represent
them in their opposition to relocating the Ren Faire to our area. Bob
Frillman is collecting contributions towards legal expenses. If you would
like to make a donation, call Bob at 862-9026.
Fixation on the toll
road for Route 84 from Livermore to Sunol has surfaced again. Both Ben
Tarver and Cathie Brown, the Mayors from Pleasanton and Livermore, have
consistently voiced their opposition. Our next meeting is planned for
late October. We plan to invite Tom Mooers from the Greenbelt Alliance
and David Nesmith from the Sierra Club to discuss the toll road as well
as other environmental issues affecting the Sunol Valley.
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