What’s Happening in Downtown Menlo Park?

Next Wednesday is the Menlo Park Downtown Block Party, a wonderful event drawing thousands of residents to our business district on Santa Cruz Avenue to enjoy music, food, and entertainment. There is an area for kids to play, multiple stages for professional performers, a community stage for local youth musicians, a diaper derby, bike taxis, and later in the evening our Mayor Peter Ohtaki will attempt to retain his title as Pie Eating Contest Champion.

The event is a great opportunity to travel downtown, have fun with your neighbors, and enjoy dining in one of our City’s many tasty dinner establishments. This past week I had the opportunity to stop by REFUGE, Menlo Park's newest dining establishment downtown.  The atmosphere is great. Friendly staff. Great food. And hundreds of artisan ales to choose from.  

Those traveling to the Block Party this year may notice something else going on as well.

Presently, much of the ground foliage has been torn out on Santa Cruz Avenue, and there is street construction fencing on certain blocks.  You may wonder why? Recently, the Menlo Park City Council decided to make an investment in our Downtown, investing in new street furniture and upgrading the City’s irrigation system to support an aesthetic upgrade in landscaping.  We thought it was about time to start giving Downtown the facelift that the area needed, and of which our residents can be proud.

And the future holds more for Downtown. Coming in the Winter this year, a long past Menlo Park tradition is returning. Working together, the City of Menlo Park and the Chamber of Commerce are planning a Winter Downtown Block Party to occur during the Holiday Season. Residents interested in participating in the event should contact the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce.

But we aren’t stopping there. Recently, I enjoyed dinner with some of Menlo Park’s Downtown property owners, to discuss and share ideas for the future, and figure out ways we can collaborate.  Now I’d really enjoy hearing your ideas.

What would you like to see Downtown?

This is a link to Surveymonkey poll: 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z37MRLY

I’d sure appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance, and hope to see you at the Block Party on Wednesday, June 19th, at 5:00 pm on Santa Cruz Avenue!