For the longest time, Louie Luna has called it the sandbox.
With uneven, patchy terrain and poor irrigation, Luna said Belle Terrace Park has gone years without any major improvements. Luna remembers going to the boxing gym, once operated at the Vida Scott Center at the park.
“We don’t have anything like that here now,” Luna said.
The county of Kern announced at a news conference Thursday an estimated $2.8 million in three projects at Belle Terrace Park. This comes days after the county approved its $4.4 billion budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which includes $49 million in park improvements countywide.
Improvements at Belle Terrace include new playground equipment, safety surfacing, shaded structures, benches, picnic tables, walkways, fencing, basketball courts, renovated restrooms and soccer fields. Future improvements will also include a renovation of the Vida Scott Center.
Kern County Chief Administrative Officer James Zervis said this investment is the largest in county history. Funding for the three park projects comes from a patchwork of state and federal grants, as well as city and county funds.
“We listened to the community and we heard you,” Zervis said. “You deserve a safe and beautiful place to play and have your families at.”
Before the fencing was erected and the crawlers began tearing up concrete, signs of neglect were everywhere. Faucets ran dry. Some bathrooms were inoperable, or tagged in graffiti. Rusty playground sets sat atop peeling rubber. A finger run along the dry, weathered picnic tables is bound for splinters.
“If this were a house it would be condemned,” said District Five Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ubedrah Osby.
Issues were underscored during a July 11 tour of District 5 parks organized by community advocates to showcase examples of inequity in the 5th District, which incorporates east Bakersfield and has among the county’s highest percentage of people of color, as well as those who are poor and disadvantaged.
Osby remembers the tour vividly, and felt a little disappointed by the conversations held that day. Understanding what a particular park needs is understanding the core values of the community around it.
“The county admitted that their definition of community engagement doesn’t meet our definition, and so we have to talk more about that and encourage them to come out, be seen and create relationships,” Osby said. “That way, when they come out, they know they’re coming.”
It’s an area where many people cannot afford a car and a bus ride downtown can take two to three hours.
“Two hours, minimum,” Osby said.
In response, then-Kern County Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop explained that the 2nd and 3rd districts have the vast majority of the county’s park acreage, including revenue-generating recreation areas such as lakes, golf courses and venues. He also pointed out the already swollen sum — 75% to 80% — of the county’s parks operating budget that goes toward repairs, specifically restrooms. Replacing stolen copper pipes in a restroom, for example, can range between $35,000 to $40,000.
Zervis reminded people at Belle Terrace Park on Thursday that the county will be launching its Adopt-a-Park program later this year. This will include an app that residents can use to report issues.
“Please help us help you,” Zervis said. “We have a constant problem with graffiti, vandalism and homelessness in our parks, particularly in our metro area parks.”
And improvements take time, Zervis said, giving the two- to three-year design phase at Belle Terrace Park as an example. By mid-2024, all three projects at Belle Terrace will either be completed or underway.
In total, more than $10 million is planned for District 5 park renovations within the next 12 to 18 months. This includes the five parks in the Fifth District, such as Heritage Park, which will soon receive a $5 million overhaul.
“We’ve got a much larger plan at play here and we’re executing on that plan and that’s all coming this year,” Zervis said.
When asked about what he’d like to see at Belle Terrace, Luna simply said “water.”
“We don’t need a baseball field, we need water parks — especially in Potomac Park,” he said.
Denial of responsibility! My Droll is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
