Erik Boal
For Crescenta Valley High cross-country Coach Mark Evans, Crescenta
Valley Community Regional Park has been like a home away from home
for many years.
But with the recent announcement that the 35-acre facility is on a
Los Angeles County list of worst-case-scenario cuts stemming from the
loss of the $4 billion in increased car-tax fees, Evans, and a number
of other local high school cross-country coaches, might be searching
for a new home next season.
The county-operated park, located at 3901 Dunsmore Ave., could be
closed on or before May 1 as a result of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's
decision to rescind the tripling of the vehicle-license fee, which
would cost the Department of Park and Recreation $25 million through
the end of the current fiscal year June 30, and $37 million for the
fiscal year of 2004-05.
If the funds aren't replaced, the county will have no choice but
to ask the city of Glendale to take over the responsibility of
running the park, which would more than likely lead its closure prior
to the start of the 2004 cross-country campaign.
"It is our home," Evans said.
"We have 80 kids in that park everyday in the fall working out,
not to mention the people who are there walking and running, or
playing other sports.
"There are so few parks in this area, that if it is closed, where
are people going to go if the park isn't available?"
The park's annual budget is approximately $250,000, which covers
maintenance and operations, in addition to three part-time recreation
supervisors. On Thursday, Schwarzenegger told the state's finance
director to begin making cuts in other state programs to replace the
car-tax fees, and cities will use whatever funds they accumulate to
address more pressing needs, giving hints that sizeable cuts to parks
and recreational facilities are imminent.
"That park is such a great resource," said CV boys' basketball
Coach Jim Smiley, who is also actively involved in the Crescenta
Sports Assn., which plays a number of its games at the park's
baseball and softball diamonds.
"The kids profit from it and the entire community profits from it.
It would be such a shame to see that park close."
Said Tom McLean, a 17-year-old junior at Flintridge Prep who will
be among the area's top runners next season: "I've always thought of
it as a great training place. It's in a really good spot and it's
always been a place we can go and it's more refreshing [than a lot of
other places].
"It would be a major inconvenience [for a lot of teams], and it
