Downey partners with Cal Poly Pomona to develop its first Parks and Recreation Master Plan

Bringing back the museum, safety concerns and maintenance were among topics of what residents brought to the table at the City of Downey’s Parks and Recreation master plan meeting held on Feb. 9 at Furman Park in Downey, Calif.

Downey has formed a partnership with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, Calif. to begin working with the Parks and Recreation department on developing the first master plan for the parks of Downey.

25 residents and city staff participated in the meeting and small group sessions. There were five scheduled meetings for residents to attend, hear the presentation and let their thoughts be heard.

Stephanie Roxas is a graduate student from the Urban and Regional Planning department at Cal Poly Pomona. She is one of 24 graduate students participating in the capstone project for the city.

“This is a part of our graduate studio, we look for a community service project in the local area and we have the opportunity to apply what we have learned in school to a real project for the community,” Roxas said.

She is on the community outreach team with three others and is in charge of leading the meeting and small group sessions.

“We take all this feedback and look at what residents want to see in their community and make recommendations to the city,” she said.

George Redfox, teacher and resident of Downey for 44 years, has come to four out of the five meetings so far. “I am really interested in what is going on with the parks in Downey and how they can be improved for the good of the people. I also would like to see the museum re-opened at Furman Park. I have been involved with the museum for a number of years and we have a great collection that needs to be out in a public space,” he said.

Roxas said each meeting has been different, “This session we had a lot of vocal residents and a fairly large group, overall residents are concerned about the general maintenance and safety of the parks, having art and cultural activities for families.”

“I am really impressed by the residents and have a lot of passion about their community,” Roxas said.

Redfox looks forward to the master plan being implemented and developed, “I would like to have this plan that will be put into effect and used by the city. Over the years the city has done lots of plans and then they shelve them and they never get used. The city should release yearly updates to inform the public as to what has been accomplished toward the goals of the plan, that we know they are using it,” he said.

According to the city’s website, the purpose of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is to set a direction for the Parks and Recreation programs, services, and capital improvement planning over a 10-year period.

The last meeting is scheduled on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Wilderness Park in Downey.