Riverside is a rapidly growing city in terms of population, but we are almost static in terms of developed park area. We continue to be below the state minimum standard of three acres of developed park land per 1000 population.

Proposals to sell existing parks to raise money for the Riverside Renaissance are short-sighted at best. In a city that is nearly built out it is not feasible to find new park properties. There are very few 10 to 50 acre parcels in the city, and those that do exist are very expensive. We simply must hold on to the park properties we have and take every opportunity to add additional pieces when and if the opportunity arises.

The City Council’s recent decision to take the 17-acre Market Street Frontage of Fairmount Park out of the Park system for lease to private parties is difficult to understand. Do we really want development in the city’s premier park? If it is a good idea to lease some portions of the frontage for park friendly uses, why not let the Parks Department do that? If the land is still under the control of the Parks Department any development will be reviewed by the Parks and Recreation Commission. Now that the land has been removed from Parks Department control and stewardship it can be developed without any review by the Parks and Recreation Commission or the Parks Department itself. This is bad for parks and bad for Riverside.

As your representative I will work to return the 17-acres of Market Street frontage at Fairmount Park to the Parks Department where it belongs. Each of the city’s parks is important. I will seek to protect and enhance them, not sell them off to fund other projects.