Dear Moreno Valley Residents:
I am proud to announce that the City of Moreno Valley is exploring the opportunity to build a new skate park. After much discourse between local skate groups, I decided to plan a workshop to help these groups come to an agreement regarding their needs for a new skate park. On January 5th, 2018 we came together and established a unified vision for the creation of a new skate park in Moreno Valley.
Local skate groups and high school students collected thousands of signatures through formal and online petitions supporting the need for a free public skate park in Moreno Valley. It was invaluable to discover how a new skate park will benefit our community. Most significantly, a new skate park will provide a fun and safe place for our youth. The new skate park also coincides with our “Youth Programs” and “Beautification, Community Engagement & Quality of Life” priorities in our strategic plan, Momentum MoVal.
Mayor Pro Tem Victoria Baca, City Manager Tom DeSantis, Parks & Community Services Director Mel Alonzo and students/parents from local schools attended this workshop to provide support, gain insight, and offer valuable suggestions for a new skate park. Students from Moreno Valley College, Valley View, and Moreno Valley High School eloquently discussed the proposed skate park. Many great ideas were considered during this community meeting.
To create a shared vision for the new skate park, I separated the students into small groups. The groups were then asked to answer the following questions:
1. What is essential to make this skate park a valuable resource for our community?
2. Where should the new skate park be located?
3. When would the groups like to see this project take place?
4. How can The City of Moreno Valley help turn their idea into a reality?
Together, we came to an agreement of ideas and found the answers to many of those questions during this assembly. We also discussed the type of equipment and environment that would accommodate our skilled local skaters. The groups would like the new skate park to be located centrally in Moreno Valley. The groups decided that quality was more important than expediency, and came to an agreement that the project should begin within an eight months time frame.
I was pleased to collaborate with these groups and constructively outline their ideas for building a new skate park in Moreno Valley. With support from the City Council, we could allocate a small portion of our Development Impact Fees, which are specifically set aside for creating local recreational opportunities. This vision can become a reality for our youth and has my full support.
I was honored to champion a community process to create a safe space where our youth can develop their skills and meet new friends. The City of Moreno Valley promotes an active and engaged community, where we work together to beautify our shared environment, care for each other, and enjoy access to cultural and recreational amenities that support a high quality of life for all residents. These ideas are envisioned and articulated throughout the City's Strategic Plan. As Mayor and fellow resident of Moreno Valley, I am proud to live and serve in a City where the dreams of our youth can soar!
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