BY ALEX CANTATORE
Staff Reporter
While the Turlock Municipal Services Department appeared to be getting geared up to begin construction of a BMX park in Turlock following Parks, Recreation, & Community Commission approval, the Turlock City Council put the brakes on the process late Tuesday evening. With the decision postponed for further review on the staff level, the bike park now seems to be spinning its wheels.
The proposal to develop a small portion of the North Walnut Christoffersen Storm Basin into a BMX park would require a $15,000 investment from the City to be supplemented by $10,000 worth of donations and in-kind labor by supporters. A parcel less than one acre, near the corner of Paseo De Leon and Panorama Avenue, would be fenced and filled with dirt, sculpted into berm-like jumps that up to 50 BMX jumpers could enjoy at a time.
Councilmembers expressed concern over a staff report they deemed inadequate. Many questions they felt had gone unanswered, especially concerning maintenance, upkeep, and the suitability of the location to the neighborhood, reigned supreme throughout the evening’s proceedings.
“Do we have controlled access points?” asked Councilman Kurt Spucher. “Do we have operating hours? Who opens, who closes, what are the costs associated with that? What about maintenance, keeping the dirt watered, cleaning up trash?
“I think restrooms are going to be a big topic of discussion. I think we learned from the skate park. When there weren’t restrooms, people used TID’s parking lot as a restroom.”
The design is considered low maintenance by Municipal Services staff, with little more than garbage cans, a drinking fountain, and piles of dirt. Full time supervision would not be a part of the park, due to the increased liability risks.
As David “DJ” Fransen, a city maintenance employee and city council candidate who masterminded both the initial skate park proposal and the current bike park plan, put it, the park is merely intended to give Turlockers a legal place to what is currently being done illegally in parks throughout town. The BMX Park is planned as an amenity to neighborhood park, and as such restrooms would not be provided because the City of Turlock does not provide restroom facilities in neighborhood parks.
“This is a storm basin, and I want to make sure we all understand this,” said Public Facilities Manager Rick Harden. “It would follow what our prototype neighborhood park is, and would not provide a restroom facility. (The basin was) master planned for ball fields, soccer fields, and there never was any discussion of putting a restroom facility out there.”
Members of the public turned out in full force, both in favor and against the proposal.
One resident recalled her car and home being vandalized after opposing the bike park at the last review meeting, leading to claims of increased violence and community problems should the bike park go in. Others questioned the design, stating that it wasn’t up to par, or stated that the location was incompatible considering nearby Walnut Elementary and the busy streets.
When the council asked Turlock Chief of Police Gary Hampton to respond to the issue, he admitted that there were both positives and negatives to the plan, though the negatives could, potentially be mitigated.
“Every police chief is going to applaud any park that is developed to provide entertainment to our youth, especially between ages 12-15 and 3-7 p.m.,” said Hampton. “That is usually when we see crime spikes, when kids get into trouble with poor judgment.”
The most similar local facility to the bike park, though, is the skate park. That park suffers from somewhat questionable behavior due to the park’s unenforceable rules.
As the skate park rules were never passed as a city ordinance, the Turlock Police have no ability to enforce them. A comprehensive set of rules, passed as an ordinance so that they are enforceable, should be able to control the bike park’s negative impacts to a certain extent, according to Hampton.
While the City Council seemed universally in favor of the new park, they felt as though there were too many questions to write a check yet.
The council advised City staff and the Parks, Recreation, & Community Commission to put together a comprehensive operational plan for the park and to report on any possible alternative locations. That report could be expected back inside the month.
Despite the delay, the entire council expressed optimism that the bike park will soon start rolling once again.
“Yeah, maybe there are some concerns that need to be addressed,” said Mayor John Lazar, “but I think they can be addressed.”
To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.
Originally published in the Turlock Journal 8/29/2008.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.