The newest attraction at Dell’Osso Family Farms when they open the Pumpkin Maze for its 29th October run this year will actually be something old.

They are converting the former snow hill that was the main attraction of Holiday on the Farms into a gigantic slide.

But the most interesting aspect of the former snow slide today is the fact its “roof” has wall-to-wall solar panels.

It has taken the PG&E bill for the year round farm plus fall family fun destination down from $20,000 to $30,000 a month to zero.

Of course, they’re paying off the solar installation but its less per month than the PG&E bill was. And the savings increase every time PG&E raises its rates, which will be three times this year if the for-profit utility gets its way before the California Public Utilities Commission.

The huge ice making machines that they bought from a manufacturer in Japan a decade or so ago burned through $10,000 in electricity each December.

Based on the overall percentage increase in PG&E rates since then, it would cost $26,000 plus to run them for a month today.

While the PG&E bill was sizeable, the Dell’Osso decision to pull the plug on Holidays on the Farms had to do with the difficulty of getting people to work a parttime holiday gig. It also essentially eliminated their ability to celebrate the holidays as a family given it came right after the October run of the Pumpkin Maze.

Anyone who knows Ron Dell’Osso probably have guessed after  the solar installation lowered energy costs that he toyed with the idea of having a snow hill in October.

The problem was, as he found out, was the ice that was made didn’t stay ice for too long.

Another reason why

Library Park became

popular with homeless

The surge of homeless hanging around Library Park after its redo in 2011 had a big contributing factor, as one longtime city employee noted.

It’s because the expansion and upgrade included installing restrooms.

Before the park was upgraded, there were homeless taking advantage of the park like everyone else.

The availability of bathrooms, which is a big issue when you are living on the streets, changed the dynamics.

Its why at one point former City Manager Karen McLaughlin had the restrooms locked up unless there was a special event scheduled at the park.

The homeless is also a reason why the city historically has been less than thrilled about the idea of restrooms in city parks.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com