Los Gatos ushered in autumn with a huge celebration Sunday, as the community gathered for the whole-day event to welcome the newly renovated Los Gatos Town Plaza Park. Despite the new fountain's breakdown at about 4:45 p.m., the event was a considerable success, with police estimating a total attendance of around 10,000. About 3,000 to 4,000 people came to the Joe Sharino Band street dance, which ended the day.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad
The Los Gatos community enjoyed the entertainment of Music in the Plaza in the 1980s.
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The celebration was kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from the Los Gatos Town Council and the starting of the new fountain by a young Los Gatan, and continued with live music, carnival-style games and historic presentations. Los Gatos youth organization A Place for Teens held its annual Food Fest, selling samples from local restaurants.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad
In 1989, a couple relaxed near the plaza's now-demolished 35-year-old fountain.
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Locals brought blankets and picnic lunches and relaxed in the park in the afternoon, watching children and dogs bathe in the streams of water.
Town staff had planned to turn off the fountain at 5 p.m., but they discovered a crack in one of the spotlights that was attributed to insufficient material bonding. According to staff, the fountain should be up and running again within a week.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad
In May, town staff dismantled the plaza's historic bell and tower—a controversial move that is still in contention, since no alternate site has been chosen.
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The $1.5 million allocated for the project included $700,000 for a new fountain to replace the 35-year-old fountain that officials called hazardous and problematic. The park was closed in March.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad
Youngsters watch while town workers check out a crack in the lens covering a light in the fountain, which brought the splashing to an end just as the dancing began.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad