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June 18, 2009
Support Our Skate Park
Our fight
for the
14th Street Skate Park has gone national
with U.S. Senator Tom Coburn arguing against
the use of federal stimulus money for this important
and essential project for our youth. In the last few
days, our Skate Park has made national and local
news.
I have launched
this new web site,
www.SupportOurSkatePark.com where you can
obtain information about the park,
watch my recent interviews on ABC 7 & FOX 11 News,
and read local coverage, as well.
Below is my recent statement about the park:
The Long Beach 14th
Street Skate Park is an essential recreational
facility for young people in one of the most
vulnerable and densely populated areas in the
country. Residents have strongly advocated for the
park for many years. The park will bring jobs and an
improved quality of life to Long Beach, and offer
positive activities to youth who might otherwise be
left to fend for themselves on the streets. I’d like
to personally invite Senator Coburn to visit our
community and to tell the kids who want and need
this park why he wants to take it away from them.
Despite Senator Coburn’s very visible opposition to
federal spending on everything from bridges and
wilderness protection to medical research and
alternative energy, his state receives about $1.36
for every dollar it pays in Federal taxes, while
California gets back just 78 cents on its tax
dollar. In fact, Oklahoma receives from the Federal
government approximately 1,000 dollars more per
person on average than does California. This is just
more evidence that Tom Coburn is out of touch and
that his grandstanding about the stimulus bill is
worse than irrelevant – it’s patently hypocritical.
This is a park we can all be proud of, and I'm proud
to let Senator Coburn know that it's going to get
built whether he likes it or not.”
June 18, 2009
New 14th Street Skate
Park
On June 2, 2009, the Long Beach City Council
unanimously approved the new 14th Street Skate Park.
This new First District park will be built using
federal stimulus money that the Obama Administration
approved for Long Beach.
As you know, the neighborhood surrounding the 14th
Street Park has many challenges. These funds will be
used to renovate and greatly expand the existing
skate park. This new park will serve as an important
place for our young people to gather and participate
in fun, positive activities. This park is also
important in deterring our youth from gangs and
negative influences.
During my first meeting with the City Manager, I
told him how important funding this park was for me
- and for the community. He agreed, and I am proud
to report that we will start construction on the new
renovated park later this summer.
I want to thank several people and organizations
that helped make this new skate park possible -
Former Long Beach City Councilmember Mike Donelon
who has been a tireless advocate for this park and
the young people who use it; Linda Palacios who is a
strong advocate for the park and the surrounding
neighborhood; Better Balance for Long Beach who
adopted the park and have spent years supporting the
youth and community; city staff in the Parks and
Recreation and Neighborhood Services departments;
and of course former Long Beach Councilmember and
now Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal who worked so
hard for many years improving the park and the local
community.
Most importantly, I want to thank the young people
who not only spoke so eloquently at the Council
meeting on behalf of the park they love, but who
have also chosen to engage in a healthful, positive
activity.
You are all truly an inspiration to all of us!
The skate park is just the beginning of a larger
project. We are going to re-imagine the 14th Street
parks as a seamless green corridor that will improve
the quality of life in the surrounding neighborhoods
and set a shining example for the entire city.
I look forward to continuing to work with you on
many more progressive ideas so we can make the First
District and Long Beach the best that it can be.
Go Long Beach!
Robert
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