Attachment 6 - Public Comment 8 12 to 8 16From: Carol Stoker
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2021 6:02 PM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Comment on Closure of Pacific Avenue
I wish to comment on the events of this summer on Pacific Avenue. I thought that the thursday
afternoon events on Pacific Avenue were a wonderful way to celebrate the summer and get over the
COVID shutdown blues. It was a huge success! I would like the town council to consider making Pacific
Avenue, in the section that was closed, a pedestrian only corridor. In Boulder Colorado in the 1980s a
section of Pearl Street also in the center of town was closed to vehicle traffic. What resulted was a full
time entertainment center as a variety of performers such as jugglers, musicians, magicians, dancers and
all kinds of entertainers came there to play for tips, and this entertainment drew crowds of people. I
was in college at the time and knew people who paid their way through school by performing in the
pedestrian mall. This type of thing will cause a downtown economic boom for the businesses on the street and, because it is outdoors, it is a very safe way to socialize with low risk from COVID infection. As
another advantage, restaurants can permanently have outdoor seating on the sidewalks. Most cities in
Europe have car-free downtown areas and limit traffic to only permitted vehicles such as those that
service the restaurants, emergency vehicles, etc.. As a result, there is always something interesting
going on in the pedestrian areas. I am certain this would pay for itself. During the road closure with live
music, I witnessed several disabled people in wheelchairs enjoying the activities. I hope that the City
Council will discuss how to leverage the success of this summer’s experiment in street closure to create
a more fun and lively area in our town.
Cordially,
Carol Stoker Redwood Estates/ Los Gatos CA.
ATTACHMENT 6