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City honors John Christian for years of city service
Three and a half mile greenbelt named for former park director
By Jana Seshadri
"John was a person who looked at a dump and saw a beautiful park," said Phyllis Fowler, a computer consultant with Fred Fowler and Associates, and wife of Sunnyvale's Vice Mayor Fred Fowler.
When John W. Christian was Sunnyvale's director of parks and recreation, he spearheaded the effort to transform an approximately three-and-one-half-mile-long stretch of greenbelt into a series of beautiful parks. On Aug. 28, five years after Christian died of cancer in 1996, the city named it, The John Christian Greenbelt.
"Christian became famous as a man who could always find a way to get things done," said Fred Fowler, who is also the former president of the Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association.
Across the northern border of Sunnyvale, through Lakewood Village, was an undeveloped, 31/2 stretch of land owned by the San Francisco Public Utility District called the Hetch-Hetchy belt, under which runs the Hetch-Hetchy water main. Christian saw the potential to landscape, pave and beautify it.
Now, this long stretch of developed bike and pedestrian path adds beauty to the area, linking a series of city parks and schools. Lakewood Park and Fairwood Park are two of the many parks that lie along this greenbelt.
According to Robert Walker, the current director of parks and recreation, the naming of the greenbelt after Christian was possible under the agreement that the city of Sunnyvale has with SFPUD.
"I worked with him the entire time he was here," said Walker, who was superintendent of parks when Christian was director of parks and recreation.
Christian worked diligently to protect and preserve open spaces because ultimately for him, the quality of life for the people in the cities and neighborhoods really counted. Now residents of Sunnyvale enjoy the fruits of his labor.
On Aug. 28 several people spoke to the city council about how Christian's efforts benefited the residents and neighborhoods of Sunnyvale and the fact that they were in favor of naming the greenbelt after him. Werner Gans was one of them. Gans is a resident who has visited every park in Sunnyvale and is happy about the naming of the greenbelt for Christian.
"He was extremely innovative in giving us these beautiful parks," Gans said.
Former City Manager Thomas Lewcock hired Christian in 1991 as director of parks and recreation. Lewcock said Christian's orientation toward open spaces and their preservation was one of the reasons he hired him.
"John's experience in managing large and regional open spaces made me want to bring him on board," Lewcock said.
Lewcock was also impressed with Christian's customer service and his ability to form unique and cooperative partnerships with neighborhood entities, nonprofit organizations and schools.
"Christian really revitalized the department and had some wonderful funding ideas for leisure services," said former Mayor Pat Castillo.
Castillo was on the parks and recreation commission prior to the city council 1985-1993. Having worked closely with Christian, Castillo said he cannot say enough good things about him as a human being.
"He was a superb individual," Castillo said. "He was above reproach, open, touchable and loved by all. He made everyone feel at ease."
Christian's death was a great loss to the department, the city and the people, Castillo said.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
