As Yogi Berra once said, "It's deja vu all over again." Reading the
News-Press headlines these past few days, "CV Park faces closure,"
"Groups speak out on park closure," "Possible CV Park closure affects
locals," I was reminded of the time-tested principle that history
repeats itself.
Almost a decade ago, the News-Press ran a headline in its March 8,
1994, paper that read, "Protecting parks from budget ax." The story
talked about impending L.A. County budget cuts that would close both
CV and Two Strike parks. Sound familiar? You would think that after
10 years, our elected officials and county administrators would be
able to pass Finance 101 and prioritize where our tax money needs to
go.
Two of the most valued resources this community has are our
children and the few open park and recreation facilities available
for our kids to enjoy in positive recreational activities that
promote family values, health and fun.
Does anyone who has lived in La Crescenta for more than a few
years really believe this community would ever put up with any park
closure without a fight? County, city, state and federal officials
need to shake themselves if they think our community would go quietly
into the night if "Keep Out," "No Trespassing" or "Park Closed Due to
No Money" signs were posted at CV Park, or any other park, for that
matter.
If budgets need to be cut, then cut from the fat, not from our
children. Ask Gray Davis about that "sleeping giant" called the
voting electorate.
It is time for our community to do now what we did in 1994, when
similar park closure threats were printed, and that is to band
together to help the county and/or city maintain CV Park. In 1994, I
was president of Crescenta Sports Assn., a youth organization in
existence since 1948, and a park closure at that time, as now, would
likely have ended our year-round youth baseball and softball program,
which serves more than 1,000 children annually. It would also affect
Little League and AYSO programs, since available city field time
would be in even higher demand.
In 1994, we formed an organization called Friends of CV Park that
basically took over the maintenance of these park facilities.
Residents of the adjoining Hindenberg section of the park, together
with Boy Scout troops, cleaned that area and kept it safe for the
community. A local horticulture club weeded and replanted areas of
the park that needed care. Our group, CSA, maintained the baseball
fields and the children's jungle gym areas. This continued for two
