Lindsay doing best with funds for park

Over the past two years some residents of Lindsay have hit the nail on the head more than once with their concerns over how their city has been mismanaged, but they are hitting their fingers with their objections to the refurbishing of the Lindsay City Park.

It appears the upheaval over the park is just an attempt to keep the pot stirred during the recall effort.

A group of residents are angry the city is not halting the work and holding more meetings with them on what they want to accomplish with the park project. However, several meetings have been held and hardly a person spoke against the park plans when the city awarded the contract in September. Work has already begun on making improvements.

Lindsay entered into a contract with the California Department of Parks and Recreation in 2006 for the park project. In 2007, the city was awarded a $500,000 Roberti-Z’Berg-Harris Urban Open Space and Recreation Grant for the project, with the stipulation that the city would kick in $500,000 to make it a $1 million project. However, in 2010, after several meetings had been held and the park was pretty much designed, the city realized it no longer could come up with the half a million dollars. Instead of scrapping the entire plan, designs were scaled back and the state gave its blessing for a $500,000 project.

Lindsay park is the centerpiece of that small city. It is old and in need of upgrading and improvements. Prior to scaling back the plans, everyone appeared to be pleased and even after the plans were scaled back, everyone appeared to be pleased, but not any longer.

The scaled back park design is a huge improvement in that moving the interior network of streets at the site, adding amenities like wheelchair-accessible playground equipment, an all-weather walking/jogging trail equipped with outdoor lighting, a rubberized bike path for children and a community stage with an earth-mounted amphitheater are all positives for the park and the community.

Another bone of contention by some is extending Sierra View Avenue along the north side of the park. Again, we feel residents are either misinformed on the issue, or simply trying to keep residents upset during the recall process.

 Money for that street project is also a federal loan that is being funneled through the old Lindsay Hospital District because the road would also serve the new Lindsay Community Center and wellness facility. Again, that money is restricted only for that project. You either use it for that, or lose it. It is that simple.

It is great to see the citizens of Lindsay involved in their city government. Had the involvement been there the past decade, maybe the city would not have made the mistakes it did. But, things do seem to be improving and better decisions are being made. The idea to be against everything is not good for the city that is trying to recover.