Laguna Niguel to Consider Plan for Park Upgrading

LAGUNA NIGUEL — The city will spend $500,000 for improvements to Clipper Cove Park if the City Council goes along with a construction plan for the community facility tonight.

“This will be a good little community park,” said City Engineer Ken Montgomery of the 4.5-acre park off Alicia Parkway between Niguel and Aliso Creek roads. “It’s a little bit hidden . . . but the playground will be very popular once people find out about it.”

In addition to an extensive set of playground equipment, the park would have the city’s only large picnic shelter. It would be capable of serving about 20 people. The city would take reservations for the picnic facility once the park is completed in early 1997.

The total cost of construction will be $526,100. In addition to a well-equipped area for tots, the park would feature a large, circular sidewalk for those who like to take walks.

The land was deeded to the city by Shappell Industries of West Los Angeles in exchange for development rights. Shappell would be responsible for rough grading on the site, a service valued at about $50,000, said Montgomery.

Construction has been delayed by a dispute between the city, the developer and a nearby homeowners association over maintenance of slopes in the park.

The disagreement was settled recently with each party taking responsibility for maintaining a portion of the park slopes.

“People in the neighborhood have been waiting and waiting,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been [working for the city] for about four and a half years, and I’ve been receiving calls from people wondering when the park will open for at least that long.”