SAN FERNANDO : City OKs Chavez Memorial Plaza

The San Fernando City Council unanimously approved a plan to create a Cesar Chavez memorial plaza on a grassy, open area on the east side of town near a park and a planned bike path.

The decision, reached at Monday night’s council meeting, puts to rest a three-month debate over how to memorialize the late farm labor leader.

In March, a proposal to rename Kalisher Street--in a deteriorating part of the city--for Chavez angered some in the community, who presented a petition against the change. Another petition was presented by supporters of the renaming plan.

Because of the opposition, the council appointed a citizens committee to study options for honoring Chavez. The committee held a series of public meetings, and considered several ideas, including renaming a city park or a bike path after Chavez.

But the committee ultimately recommended establishing a Chavez memorial plaza at an empty, 18,000 square-foot area near the intersection of Wolfskill and Truman streets, on the east side of town near Recreation Park.

“It’s at the entrance to town, and we have a master plan to clean up that entire area,” said Councilman Doude Wysbeek about the planned memorial. “I think the committee did an excellent job of getting community input.”

Both opponents and supporters of the original proposal to rename Kalisher Street for Chavez said they were generally satisfied with the new plan.

“It’s all right right there; it won’t bother anybody,” said Arturo Chacon, owner of Chacon’s Barber Shop on Kalisher Street. Chacon, whose cousin is married to Mayor Pro Tem Rosa Chacon, had opposed renaming Kalisher. Rosa Chacon made the original proposal to rename Kalisher Street to honor Chavez.

Xavier Flores, executive director of Pueblo Y Salud, said a memorial plaza is “a good beginning.” But, he added: “Much more has to be done to honor this man. We must go further so our children don’t forget.”

City officials said no money has been budgeted yet for the memorial. But members of a future cultural commission would be asked to come up with ideas for the memorial site.

Work on the project would begin in September, when construction is scheduled to start on a planned bike path that will parallel the Metrolink rails. The project should be completed by early next year, officials said.