Agenda Item
4. 22-973 Discussions on public park at Sunshine Gardens Elementary School. (Mike Futrell, City Manager)
Legislation Text
1 Public Comment
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Guest User at November 15, 2022 at 3:36pm PST
Oppose
Having a public park on a school campus is a huge liability for both agencies (SSFUSD and the City of SSF). Having a public park on a school campus leaves students, teachers and staff vulnerable. Even if the park is "closed," during school hours, this will not mediate the risk of attracting unwanted strangers onto campus. There are many questions that also need to be asked and answered, here are just a few.
Who will pay for it?
Who will maintain it? SSFUSD can barely keep up and maintain the outside grounds they already have, and you want to add more? Same goes for the City of SSF Parks Dept.
Who will collect the garbage? The Sunshine Gardens neighborhood has a huge Raven problem already, with garbage spewed down the streets as they scavenge for food.
What about public restrooms? We know what happens when a public restroom is not available at a park, and people need to relieve themselves.
Who will keep out the drug addicted/mentally ill/homeless people? All one needs to do is spend a day on Mission Rd. and you will see countless mentally ill, drug addicted and homeless people sprawled out on the various benches located along Mission Rd. Many congregate outside 7-11. Once they learn about a public park just 2 blocks away on Holly Ave., word will spread, it will be a huge magnet, and signage does not seem to stop people much these days.
SSFPD is already stretched thin, and you want to add a public park with the upper green space, that is secluded from the street with poor access and then get a quick response from SSFPD when they are called?
Once the tent encampment gets set up, and it will (a homeless tent was found on the SSG upper field in the past) who will remove it? But wait, the homeless, I mean "unhoused" advocates will come with hot food, clean needles and crack pipes, because homeless people need a clean place, with sterilized needles so they can inject themselves safely. Have you read the book San Fransicko by Michael Shellenberger yet? Be careful, coming to a neighborhood near you...
Teachers already find beer bottles, drug paraphernalia, and condoms on campus, and SSG is fenced and NOT open to the public. What will happen once it becomes open to the public? We already HAVE PARKS in and near the Sunshine Gardens neighborhood.
There are two playgrounds in the neighborhood at Willow Gardens. There is Centennial Park, which is perfect for kids and families to ride bikes and scooters.
Soon there will be a 1.3 acre park at our Community Civic Campus for the neighborhood to enjoy.
So few families today even walk to parks. It is fair to say, the most drive to parks, and then circle around for the closest parking spot they can find, and then take their bikes out of their SUV's to ride.
Taking a look at the history of the SSG neighborhood, it is not SSFUSD's problem for the poor planning on the part of the City of SSF. When the neighborhood was built beginning in the early 1950's, and continuing for DECADES, and taking a look at ALL of the new construction OVER the last 70 years, there have been many opportunities to build a park, and HOUSING has won every time.
Taking another look at history, several years ago, teachers were suppose to keep their doors locked and closed during the school day, due to the threat of an active shooter. Now teachers have to keep their doors wide-open, making them easy targets. So, which is it...
Doors open, or doors closed? Which threat gets priority? Last, I am requesting once again to PLEASE hold these meetings AFTER the school day (after 3:20pm) so teachers and staff can attend!