Oct. 29 Daily Briefing: Park plans, new city director, Demuth facility celebrated, and more

Happy Tuesday, everyone, where it appears fall has arrived just in time for Halloween. The “gusty and dusty” start to the week should subside later this morning, but it brought with it the typical side effects — road closures due to blowing sand. This is probably a good time to remind you that you can subscribe to the city’s closure alerts via this link and save yourself the inconvenience of heading toward a path that’s closed.

🎶 Setting the mood: “I Put a Spell on You” by Screaming Jay Hawkins

LEADING OFF

Parks Commission approves draft of 10-year master plan

The Palm Springs Parks and Recreation Commission has approved the draft of a comprehensive 10-year master plan. The plan focuses on improving park accessibility, expanding trails, enhancing climate resilience, and increasing community engagement through improved communication and diverse programming.

Driving the news: The commission reviewed and discussed key themes and proposed actions outlined in the draft plan on Monday evening.

• The plan’s development involved extensive community engagement and analysis of current park system conditions.

Zoom in: Making the community more aware of park experiences, connecting people and places, and keeping parks cool amid climate change were among the key themes outlined Monday evening.

• Among other goals, the plan aims to address park “deserts” by ensuring all residents are within a 10-minute walk of a park. Currently, only 34% of Palm Springs residents have such access.

The strategy: The plan includes “act now” items for quick wins and longer-term incremental actions. Interim Parks and Recreation Director Lauri Aylaian suggested presenting the plan to the City Council in two parts.

• “The first would be that the City Council approves the 10-year master plan,” Aylaian said. “But then the second part is that they approve the plan for year one and any resources, whether it’s money or people.”

Next steps: The commission hopes to have the final plan in front of the Palm Springs City Council by early next year. The incoming parks and recreation director, Nick Gonzalez, is expected to help lead the plan’s execution when he begins in December.

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BRIEFLY

🌴 City names new Parks and Recreation Department director

Nicholas Gonzalez has been named Palm Springs’ new Director of Parks and Recreation, effective Dec. 9. 

• Gonzalez brings 13 years of experience from his tenure with the City of Ontario, where he has served as the Recreation and Community Services Director since 2020.
  
  
• In Ontario, Gonzalez managed a $17.5 million annual budget, supervised 37 full-time and 300 part-time employees, and oversaw a municipal golf course.
  
  
• What they’re saying: “Nicholas Gonzalez’s experience in capital projects, master planning and overseeing special events will serve the city extremely well,” City Manager Scott Stiles said. “He is also familiar with Palm Springs and loves our community.”

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Visions of Desire
12 p.m. until 8 p.m. | Cultural Center
Tom of Finland Foundation presents a special exhibition comprised of original artworks by Tom of Finland (Finnish, 1920-1991), one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ artists of the twentieth century.

Queer Colon Care Collective
5 p.m. | Virtual
This ongoing virtual session is open to all colorectal cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. 

Melba Miller’s Jazz Oasis
5:30 p.m. | Cultural Center
Join songstress Melba Miller and special guests for an evening dedicated to serious listeners and lovers of Jazz. ($22)

Mike Maimone & Mutts
7 p.m. | Oscar’s 
Mike Maimone’s debut performance in Palm Springs will include two sets of original music and covers with his unique styling. ($10)

A Nightmare on Elm Street
7 p.m. | Cultural Center
A Nightmare on Elm Street is the 1984 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye.

SAVE THE DATE

• Halloween Carnival & Haunted House at James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center on Wednesday.
  
  
• Greater Palm Springs Pride from Friday through Sunday.
  
  
• La Cage Aux Folles at Palm Canyon Theatre starting Thursday.
  
  
• Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk on Saturday.
  
  
• Desert Film Society Screenings starting Saturday.
  
  
• Deep Pit BBQ at Los Compadres Stables on Saturday.
  
  
• Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival on Nov. 9 and 10.
  
  
• Desert Air on Nov. 15 and 16.
  
  
• Kewet Native American Learning Day and Market on Nov. 16.

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AND FINALLY …

Palm Springs officially opened a new $800,000 Demuth Park playground Monday. It features ADA accessibility and equipment for children with neurodiversity challenges. 

Driving the news: Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein and members of the City Council made remarks before cutting the ceremonial ribbon. In their speeches, they highlighted the playground’s inclusive design and the city’s commitment to improving parks and recreation facilities.

• The project includes shade structures capable of covering 215 children and is part of a larger parks initiative in the city. The playground had not been updated in nearly three decades.

Why it matters: The new playground represents a significant investment in Palm Springs’ quality of life amenities, particularly for its youngest residents. 

• “We can make these grand plans for the future of our parks while also updating the things that need updating immediately, like adding the shade structure and the new equipment,” said Councilmember Christy Holstege.

The big picture: Palm Springs is expanding its focus on parks and recreation, with three more playground renovations planned.

• A new shade-covered playground at Victoria Park was dedicated earlier this year. Three more playground renovations are scheduled, including upgrades at Baristo Park, Ruth Hardy Park, and the park at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center.

Dive deeper with our complete story