CITY COUNCIL: Manhattan Beach’s Sand Dune Park revamp is approved, minus bike path
by Mark McDermott
Sand Dune Park will receive several renovations, including new playground equipment, bathrooms, and an artfully designed iron mesh fence. But the development of the new Sand Dune Park Master plan approved by the City Council Tuesday night most emphatically will not include a new concrete bike path running through the wilds of North Manhattan Beach.
The Council unanimously approved the $3.5 million plan but withdrew the six-foot wide concrete bike path proposed for the park’s south lawn. Several nearby residents implored the council not to include the path at the outset of Tuesday’s meeting.The council listened, and subsequently approved the plan with little discussion, other than to excise the path from the plan.
Councilperson David Lesser said the idea for the park’s renovation came from the community, hence the council was likewise responding to residents’ opposition to the path.
“I fully understand your feelings about the idea of a concrete path through that park, because my family and I used to live very close to that park, and when my kids were young, that was the park we went to for playdates on that grass,” Lesser said. “I appreciate community input, which led to this proposal in the first place. But [the path] is, I think, going to be a non-starter.”
Residents question what purpose the path would serve at the expense of introducing new elements that threatened to change the very nature of the park.
“My fear, and I think part of our neighbors’ fears, is that putting a path there is really going to just diminish the use of that park,” said Mark Osterkamp. “I view it as [addressing] a problem that really doesn’t exist.”
“I am so against a paved path through that green belt,” said Bo Dean. “It’s going to destroy the area, as far as little kids being able to play there. Along with lights, it’s going to affect nature in the park down there. And also, you put a path out there — skateboarders….and then on top of that, the little kids on e-bikes. It’s a problem, it’s going to make things not very safe for little kids down there. And I just don’t understand why we need to do this. I love the plans to fix the rest of the park up.”
Former mayor Suzanne Hadley, who has lived next door to the park for 30 years, urged the council to reject the path.
“We’ve raised our family for 20 years literally on the park…Never once did anyone ever mention that they wish there were a paved and lighted bike through the grass,” Hadley said. “In fact, over the years, one of the joys of my life has been watching children play and visit and grow up on the south lawn. Learning to ride a bike on the grass is the best — and this important life milestone, believe it or not, happens almost every week, and I can see it from our second floor, makes me feel young again. Tossing a football or playing spike ball with friends after school, playing family soccer game on Thanksgiving, before or after eating turkey, enjoying picnics…This happened all the time.”
“Please remove the bike path and don’t be the council that paved paradise.”
Council voted 5-0 to do just that, with a motion that removed the bike path but included all the other renovations, including a “tot lot” and a playground for ages 5 to 12, an outdoor education area with a low, wooden stage and benches for school children, and a pedestrian lighting system throughout the park to improve security. Also included are two, new prefabricated buildings with Spanish style architecture to house an office and restrooms. The new fencing, originally proposed as part of the city’s public art program, will be paid for by the public arts funding. ER