Yesterday we posted our letter about it published in the Bee, headlined with a picture of the Parkway trashing resulting from illegal camping.
The organization that has taken the lead in advocating for a focus on public safety and removing the scourge of illegal camping from the Parkway is the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, and their webpage devoted to that issue has many photos documenting the widespread damage caused over the many years this has been allowed to continue.
An excerpt.
“The capital region is maturing and that can be seen in many of its aspects, from the creation of vibrant new cities, the increased energy of downtowns, people and business migrating in instead of out. For those of us who have been here for generations, it is particularly rewarding to see the growth and appreciation of all that our region has to offer. The maturing process is also evident in the consciousness of the development community regarding natural resources and is indicated by the folding in of parkways, greenways and open space into new developments, many connecting planned trailways with the American River Parkway. Overall, we see an acknowledgement that creating homes and places for people to live and work is very conducive to preserving and accessing the natural resources many come to our community to enjoy.
“In North Sacramento however, the community's access and enjoyment of it's greatest natural resource, the American River Parkway has been restricted, due to the problem of illegal camping, primarily by the homeless. While the North Sacramento community is understanding and accepting of the fact that a community needs to treat those of distressed circumstances with compassion and dignity, it is also vital that the same generosity of spirit be extended to the distressed community unable to enjoy the natural resources within it's boundaries.”
