Fresno hasn't done a very good job building or maintaining parks over recent decades, with perhaps the sole exception of Woodward Park. But that appears to be changing, thanks to a strong commitment from City Hall and a dynamic new parks director. That's the topic of our Sunday editorial.
Randall Cooper and his staff at the city's parks and recreation department have plunged into a very ambitious program of adding features and sprucing up the city's parks. One of the most encouraging parts of the effort is the expansion of after-school and other activities designed to divert Fresno's kids from gangs and other criminal activity.
The connection is plain to Cooper, a former police officer, and to Mayor Alan Autry and Police Chief Jerry Dyer. It's also very cost effective: We spend a whole lot less providing healthy activities for kids than it costs us to lock them up if they go bad.
In addition to many new and expanded activities, Cooper has boosted efforts to clean and maintain the parks, long a sore spot with many residents. This new effort is most welcome. Parks are among the amenities that attract people to a community and keep them there. Fresno needs all of that it can get.
I concur that parks need to be clesned up and have activities for children without the gangsters hanging out there too. They seem to tag all of the neighborhood parks. Gowing up as a child in Fresno. I was able to safely go to Romaine and do activities as well as a couple others. It was so much fun.