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Long known as an area of Mountain View with few parks, the city is working on two separate projects to improve and increase open space in the Monta Loma neighborhood.
Mountain View is moving ahead with plans to create a mini-park at the corner of Thompson and Junction avenues, as well as renovating a portion of the open space on Monta Loma Elementary School’s campus.
City staff plan to host a meeting to receive community input from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, in Monta Loma Elementary School’s multipurpose room, 460 Thompson Ave.
City moves forward with long-anticipated mini-park project
For several years, the city has been looking to build a small park in the Monta Loma neighborhood, to create more green space for nearby residents.
Mountain View has now acquired two adjacent properties to make that happen: 538 Thompson Avenue and 2231 W. Middlefield Road, city spokesperson Lenka Wright said.
Back in 2022, the city was trying to purchase 538 and 544 Thompson Avenue for the park. However, buying 544 Thompson fell through, causing a delay in the city’s ability to move forward with the project, Wright confirmed. With two sites now in the city’s possession, the project can move ahead.
Plans for the mini-park were first initiated because the city determined that the Thompson Planning Area, which encompasses the Monta Loma neighborhood, has the second-lowest amount of park space per resident out of the city’s 10 planning areas. Mountain View’s goal is to ensure that all planning areas have at least three acres of open space per 1,000 residents. The Thompson Park Planning Area had only 2.56 acres, as of a 2022 council report.
A mini-park, as defined by the city, is a space less than one acre that provides “limited recreational opportunities, such as seating areas, playgrounds or small green spaces, usually serving a localized area of one mile,” Wright wrote in an email to the Voice. The expected size of the new park is 0.43 acres, she said.
Mountain View is in the process of hiring a consultant to design the project. The city plans to hold a community meeting in late spring 2026 to gather input from residents on the amenities they’d like to see included in the proposed mini-park.
The full design of the park is expected to be completed in fall 2027, with construction anticipated to begin in spring 2028, Wright said.
City seeks community input on improvements to Monta Loma park space
While the mini-park project gets underway, the city also plans to make upgrades to a portion of the Monta Loma Elementary School campus. The city and school district share the open space at local schools through a joint use agreement.
The city is planning to make improvements to a pathway and surrounding area that runs along the south side of the elementary school’s campus. The path sits next to the school’s multi-use and baseball fields, which aren’t included in the city’s renovation plans.
Some of the possible changes to the area include upgrades to the existing pathway, playground, benches, picnic areas, fitness equipment and water fountains, along with the potential addition of shade structures, Wright said. Staff will select the final design based on the input received from the community during the public outreach process.
Open space at Monta Loma Elementary School has been a contentious topic in the community for years. Back in 2020, neighbors strongly opposed plans to erect fences around the campus, arguing that the space was heavily used by the community. The Mountain View Whisman School District’s board ultimately approved installing fences last year, but left open the multi-use field and walking path.
According to Wright, the city is working with the school district on the project, and staff have already met with district representatives to gather their ideas for the space and discuss potential improvements from the school’s perspective.
As the project advances, the city will continue to “partner with the district,” Wright said, adding that staff will present a design concept to the school board before finalizing the design phase. Mountain View Whisman spokesperson Shelly Hausman told the Voice that the district is excited to “see what the city and community create.”
“We appreciate that there has been a renewed interest in parks and making green spaces shady, cohesive and accessible for all community members,” Hausman wrote in an email.
After this week’s meeting, the city is planning to give the community a second opportunity to provide input sometime early next year.
Park renovations are expected to commence in fall 2027, assuming the designs have received state approval.
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