First published in the June 23 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
The city of LCF developed and adopted its own Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2016, including specific measures and actions intended to reduce GHG in accordance with the state recommended reduction targets.
The performance objectives of our CAP include: 1) increasing green space in the city by 10 acres by 2035; and 2) planting 250 new trees by 2035.
The construction of pickleball courts at Mayor’s Discovery Park (MDP) goes directly against LCF’s CAP: 1) it will decrease the total green space in city parks by 10%; and 2) it will destroy up to six mature trees. Furthermore, the CAP also specifies Implementation Actions to meet its goals, one of which is identifying public spaces such as public parking lots that can be converted into parklets. Paving over MDP for pickleball is doing the exact opposite of this: effectively turning a park into a parking lot.
The city of LCF should also ask itself about the need for more courts in the area. There are currently 37 pickleball courts available within 8 miles of LCF.
Converting Mayors’ Discovery Park into a pickleball facility is not in the city’s best interest. By decreasing the available green space and destroying trees, it goes directly against our CAP, and by doing so, it would call into question the city’s commitment to honor any measure it has or will adopt. Given the availability of pickleball courts in the area and existing paved space, there is simply no need to destroy Mayors’ Discovery Park.
David Boyd
La Cañada Flintridge
