A Gibson Ranch volunteer wrote an informative article about the ranch—making some excellent points—in response to a recent Sacramento Bee editorial and cartoon.
It is a good to have a debate about the future of parks, with the Bee editorial board apparently on one side, against public/private partnerships, and Gibson Ranch supporters for public/private partnerships, on the other.
We have been supporters of the Ose Proposal for Gibson Ranch and our January 5, 2011 Press Release on our website news page describes the benefits we feel will result.
We believe the debate will be won when the Ose proposal proves successful (as we are certain it will be) and Gibson Ranch Park becomes the renewed and bustling public recreational venue the community desires and deserves.
An excerpt.
“Re "Will parks in the region go to the sharks?" (Editorial, March 26):
“Parks are not going to the sharks. The cartoon and editorial have given a very misleading picture of what has happened to get Gibson Ranch open.
“There are more than a few community members and horse boarders working to get the park open. Doug Ose has the support of the Rio Linda/Elverta, North Highlands/Antelope Chamber of Commerce, the Rio Linda Park District, Lions Club from the Sacramento area and many community members who do not own horses.
“The horse boarders are not in support of Ose and L&M Concession Management in order to get cheap board. The board at Gibson Ranch is at the high end of the median range for the area, especially since it does not have a covered arena. Without a covered area one is limited as to riding in the winter months.
“Contrary to what The Bee printed, I am not a horse boarder. I am a volunteer. Therefore, I could not be fighting this cause for cheap board for a horse I do not own.
“The tree farm issue was presented to the Dry Creek Parkway Advisory Committee and the park commissioners, and was passed to remain on the future services and programs for 2011-12. One person has an issue with this – one person! Ose agreed to come back before the advisory committee and give them an informal briefing as to where the trees would be put and what type they would be. That was all that was asked of him from the chair of the committee.”
