New Monte Vista Sidewalk Improves Safety and Convenience

Denair Sidewalk

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

The first piece of a community beautification and pedestrian safety project at Denair’s western entrance was completed Tuesday with the pouring of 700 feet of concrete along Monte Vista Avenue.

Central Valley Concrete of Denair provided the materials and arranged for the labor on the project, which was a joint effort by the Denair Unified School District and Stanislaus County. Supervisor Vito Chiesa, who represents the Denair area, arranged for CVC to donate the concrete work. The school district will install the irrigation system, grass and shrubbery later this spring.

The new 5-foot-wide sidewalk is along the north side Monte Vista Avenue behind Jack W. Lytton Stadium. It connects with an existing walkway that ended at the intersection of Lester Road and Monte Vista. It will provide a safer route to and from school for students as well as users of the stadium, which hosts football games and other community events.Sidewalk Thank You Sign

“It looks great,” said Denair Superintendent Aaron Rosander.

He said there will be a community fundraising effort to help pay for the landscaping and irrigation system, estimated to be about $5,000.

DUSD Sidewalk Project Moves Ahead

DUSD Logo

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

The beautification project that will add almost 700 feet of sidewalk and landscaping along the north side Monte Vista Avenue behind Jack W. Lytton Stadium is about to kick into high gear, Superintendent Aaron Rosander told Denair school board trustees Thursday night.

The project is a partnership between the Denair Unified School District and Stanislaus County. Supervisor Vito Chiesa, who represents the Denair area, arranged for a local company to donate the concrete work. The school district will install the irrigation system, grass and shrubbery.

Rosander said there will be a community fundraising effort to help pay for the district’s piece of the project, estimated to be about $5,000.

Grading of the strip of land already has occurred. Rosander expects the concrete to be poured sometime after Thanksgiving, depending upon the weather.

The new 5-foot sidewalk will connect with an existing walkway that now ends at the intersection of Lester Road and Monte Vista. It will provide a safer route to and from the stadium, which hosts football games and other community events.

At Thursday night’s board meeting, Rosander also updated trustees on proposed unification of Denair Elementary School and Denair Academic Avenues, a charter school that shares the elementary campus.

Principal Sara Michelena, who oversees both schools, has had initial discussions with teachers and other employees as well as parents, Rosander said. The concept, he said, is to “take the best of both campuses” and combine them into a single, high-performing charter school.

Rosander cited D2A’s enriched language and fine arts programs and DES’s music and traditional academic offerings as strengths that would be retained on a unified campus. Together, the schools have about 420 students.

He said parents and community members will be invited to a meeting before winter break at which the tenets of the new program will be laid out and questions can be asked.

DUSD and Stanislaus County Partner on Monte Vista Sidewalk

Stanislaus County Seal

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

The Denair Unified School District and the Stanislaus County will collaborate on a project that will improve safety around the high school stadium as well as beautify the western entrance to town.

The plan is to replace a weedy area on the north side of Monte Vista Avenue with 640 feet a sidewalk and landscaping. The county will pay for the 5-foot sidewalk, which will connect with an existing walkway that now ends at the intersection of Lester Road and Monte Vista. The school district will be responsible for the installation and maintenance of 12 feet of landscaping between the new sidewalk and a chain-link fence.

Superintendent Aaron Rosander announced the good news at Thursday night’s school board meeting. Grading will begin in a few weeks and the project should be completed later this fall, he said.

Rosander credited county Supervisor Vito Chiesa and Public Works Director Matt Machado for their support and willingness to partner on the project. Members of the Denair Municipal Advisory Council also endorsed the new sidewalk.

The new walkway will provide a safer route to and from Jack Lytton Stadium, which hosts football games and other community events. The entrance on the west side of the stadium currently requires people who park toward the east to navigate the dirt and weeds on the north side of Monte Vista.

The upgrade also will improve people’s first impression of the community. Monte Vista curves and turns into Main Street at the intersection with Lester. A small triangle of grass includes a “Welcome to Denair” sign. Continue reading “DUSD and Stanislaus County Partner on Monte Vista Sidewalk” »