Parks Construction Expected Next Fall

City officials, with $350,000 in state funds as a result of a bill recently signed by Gov. Gray Davis, expect to begin construction for “much needed” parks as early as next fall.

Due to a drafting error, Glendale was one of five cities and a park district that did not meet the population size mandated by Proposition 12, said state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank). The $2.1-billion parks and open space bond measure, which allocated a base amount to cities, was approved by voters in March.

However, according to the language of the proposition, cities with 200,000 to 300,000 residents did not qualify for additional per capita funding that went to municipalities and districts with populations of less than 200,000 or more than 300,000.

“Those cities deserve to have their fair share of the resources,” said Schiff, adding that he wrote the bill to correct “the proposition’s inequity.”

The $350,000 supplements $1.6 million the city was originally allocated from Proposition 12.

The money is sorely needed, city officials said.

“For a community of 200,000 people, we’re under-parked,” said Glendale City Manager James Starbird. “In light of our park needs, any amount helps.”

The city will probably use the money to build a mini-park or upgrade existing sites, said Parks Director Nello Iacono.