McKinley Park Takeover
No More Privatization of Public Space
September 7, 2004 --
At the September 7 meeting of the Alameda City
Council supporters of the Boys and Girls Club and of public open space
turned out. The issue on the Council's agenda: a discussion of policy
about private use of public space, placed on the agenda by Councilman Frank
Matarrese (in the picture, second from the left).
Citizens made it clear that they wanted a decent place for the Club to offer its services in the East end of the island, and they wanted to retain public land for public use. The Club, presuming it would be able to take over McKinley Park (see An Alameda Giveaway?), made no other plans for alternate space at the end of August when it abandoned its building on Lincoln Avenue near Willow. Children and parents were caught by surprise at the loss because no notice was given by the Club. Open space advocates agreed that the Club offered valuable services, but would not stand for further privatization of public space in allowing the park takeover by a private corporation, the Boys and Girls Club. They asked the City not to allow the Club to occupy McKinley Park.
Councilman Matarrese explained that he put the consideration of the policy of private use of public land on the agenda because he didn't understand how the City could have spent so much time so far considering a use permit by the Boys and Girls Club for land to which it had no entitlement. He thought that the general question of private use of public land had not been clearly stated and the City needed to do that. Otherwise, how could a private organization dominate public on a near permanent basis when it had no clear right to do so. The City couldn't deny or allow the use in one case with a clearly stated policy that covered all such cases.
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The neighborhood organized against the takeover -- not to fight the Boys and Girls Club -- but to protect public property from privatization. Worthy members of the Club pleaded with City Council to help restore the Club, which closed suddenly without notice, under the impression that the City had shut it down. Park neighbors agreed that the Club is worthwhile. Many of their children attended activities there. But they presented a petition to the Council with 500 signatures of City tax payers asking the City to avoid sacrificing public space to private organizations. |
NO PUBLIC PARK SHOULD BE SACRIFICED TO ANY PRIVATE
ORGANIZATION,
We protest the idea that any public park, open space or recreation area
in the City of Alameda, should be turned over to a private entity.
The text of the petition |
At the end of the discussion Council decided to defer the matter to the Recreation and Parks department for a policy recommendation. No further consideration by Council will be possible before October. For the meantime, the Boys and Girls Club of Alameda remains closed and will not occupy McKinley Park.
