Arnie! You can't be serious. You want to close many of our beaches and parks. Unbelievable that you, as our governor, would attempt to close these wonderful places to save money.
California beaches are known world wide and so are our parks. These are what attract vacationers and tourists. Families love to camp and enjoy nature at these spots. However, the "closure list" seems to be based on usage and /or revenue. Nevertheless, 20 percent of our state parks are on the list. Additionally, lifeguard reductions would take place on some 15 beaches.
Locally, our beloved Henry W. Coe State Park would be closed. That's right, the one at the end of East Dunne Ave, which has several other entrances at Hunting Hollow, Coyote Creek and Bell Station.
Lifeguard reductions are proposed to take place at Natural Bridges, New Brighton, Seacliff, Manresa, and Sunset Beaches.
My family always loved the beaches and parks.
In the mid-1970s, we lived in San Jose and our children enjoyed summer as Mom took them to Sunset Beach in our Ford station wagon and camped out for a week each summer. The kids enjoyed the beach and the camp grounds while Dad had to work. They had fun times ... and so did Mom.
As our children grew up, they would go camping at Sunset with their friends. Sunset State Beach has always been a special place for our family.
Upon retirement, we moved to Aptos. There we had a Beach Walk every summer that started at the end of Clubhouse Dr. and ended up five miles down the beach at Sunset, where we enjoyed pot luck. Fifty or more friends came for the event.
On other occasions, we would visit New Brighton and Seacliff because we lived near by.
Having experienced the beach for fifteen years, we moved to Morgan Hill and experienced Coe State Park. The drive up East Dunne is full of surprises. One doesn't realize that the drive travels over one range of hills, then down by Anderson Lake, before continuing up to the entrance to the park. We enjoyed the view and the picnic area.
Quoting from the Coe Park brochure, "This looks like somebody's ranch." That's something many people say when they visit Coe Park for the first time. And it's a natural observation, since most of the buildings at the western entrance to the park were constructed during the years when Henry W. Coe, Jr. and his family lived and worked on the Pine Ridge Ranch, from about 1900 until 1953.
"Coe Park is the largest state park in northern California, with over 87,000 acres of wide open spaces. The terrain of the park is rugged, varied and beautiful, with lofty ridges and steep canyons."
My favorite part of Coe Park is Dowdy Ranch, reached by the Bell Station turn-off from Highway 152. This wonderful place is seven miles from the turn-off. Not only featuring a brand new visitor's center which opened last year, Dowdy Ranch has running water in the restrooms and drinking fountains. Outstanding views are for the looking as you BBQ on existing facilities near covered roof picnic tables.
Perhaps, I am a bit prejudiced because my granddaughter, Ashley Heck, accompanied Allie Phillips, great-great granddaughter of Orin Dowdy, in cutting the opening ribbon last May. Nevertheless, this portion of the park is brand new, 20 years in the planning and two years in the building at $2.5 million.
No! Governor, don't close this part of history.
Let's come up with a solution by contacting state legislators: State Senate Member Abel Maldonado at (916) 651-4015. Assembly members John Laird at (916) 319-2027 and Ira Ruskin at (916) 319-2021.
Burton Anderson Burton Anderson, a U.S. Marine veteran of the Korean War, has lived in California for about 50 years. He has a background in the aerospace industry. He may be reached at bandtp@aol.com. The Board of Contributors is comprised of local writers whose views appear on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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