Larry Moore Park may have bigger role in city recreation
By Jackie Iddings
The view of Lawrence Moore Park from the entrance. Photos by Jackie Iddings.
– In September, the City of Paso Robles announced plans to move maintenance responsibility of the Lawrence Moore Park on Riverbank Lane from a landscape and lighting district to the city’s general fund. The reasons given by the city for taking this step include an increasing use of the sports fields in the park by non-neighborhood groups, vandalism, badly needed upgrades to the play equipment, repairing and reopening the restrooms, better lighting and the increasing cost of maintaining the park. The city made the decision after determining that making the needed repairs and upgrades and continuing to maintain the park would require a substantial increase in property owner fees, from the current $103 per year to around $450.
Larry Moore Park, its preferred name by both residents and city officials, was established in the late 1980s when the Riverbank community was built. It was intended to be a neighborhood park supported by assessed annual fees and maintained by the landscape and lighting district. There are a number of other neighborhood parks throughout the city. These parks, just as Larry Moore Park, were built as part of the developments for use by the residents of those communities and are maintained by the city’s landscaping and lighting district from fees paid by property owners.
An area of the Salinas River Parkway Preserve.
When asked how the city determined that Larry Moore park was being used by outside residents the Paso Robles Library and Recreation Director Julie Dahlen stated the Recreation Department has been receiving increasing requests to reserve sports fields at Larry Moore Park. According to Dahlen, despite cautions not to use Larry Moore Park, some of these groups have stated they intend to do so anyway. Others who have been using the park don’t realize that it is not a regular public park.
According to Dahlen, the sports fields at Larry Moore are not regulation size, and were intended to be used by neighborhood residents, not official sports teams.
Most neighborhood parks in Paso Robles remain relatively private in the sense that people outside of the neighborhood don’t know they exist. Larry Moore Park is much more visible than other community parks due to its location next to the Salinas River and that it is bordered by two adjoining city maintained trails that connect Creston Road to the 13 St. bridge. A pocket map, “City of Paso Robles Parks and Trails” describes these two trails as the Charolais Corridor Trail and the Salinas River Parkway Trail. The Charolais Corridor Trail connects Creston Road to Riverbank Lane over a 1.75 mile paved trail along Charolais Road. The Salinas River Parkway Trail starts on Riverbank Lane at the end of the Charolais trail and continues for 1.6 miles to the 13th Street Bridge. A half mile loop around the Larry Moore Park is also included in the city’s trail guide. The 154 acre Salinas River Parkway Preserve, of which a portion abuts Larry Moore Park, is part of a plan by the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) for a 35-mile trail alignment that will connect San Miguel to Santa Margarita.
A destroyed picnic bench.
No official records are currently maintained by the city for the park’s use by outside groups. Both Dahlen and Director of Paso Robles Public Works, Dick McKinley, state that the city gaining jurisdiction over public use of the park is going to significantly reduce unauthorized use while retaining the integrity of the Riverbank neighborhood. McKinley also stated that finding athletic fields in North County is complicated. Opening Larry Moore Park to the public through the city’s recreation programs makes more athletic fields available to recreational athletics and youth leagues.
Dahlen stated that adopting Larry Moore Park into the city’s general fund is only the first step to it becoming a city park. Her department oversees park usage by reserving athletic fields, and other areas of parks and providing organized activities. The public works department is responsible for maintenance and capital improvements.
Riverbank community residents have complained about homeless activity and vandalism in the park. Both Dahlen and McKinley state that increasing activity in the park and better lighting discourage be disruptive, destructive, or illegal behavior. According to Dahlen, those engaging in these types of behaviors prefer to do so in more isolated areas. In her experience, other parks where this kind of behavior was a problem have experienced very quick and dramatic reductions once park activity changes.
A Section of the Salinas River Parkway Trail.
When asked about crime and resident complaints about activity at Larry Moore Park, Lt. Timothy Murphy, Paso Robles Police Department stated, “It is critical for community members to understand the value in their reporting of issues or problems as they are occurring, so officers can be dispatched to address the problem.” He went on to state that since October 2014, an electric motorcycle was added to the police department’s patrol fleet and the specific task of the officer assigned to the motorcycle patrol is “being proactive on pathways, trails and open space for enforcement / education purposes (i.e. criminal activity, vandalism, illegal camping, off-road vehicle enforcement).” The motorcycle patrol includes the pathways and open spaces in and around Larry Moore Park.
McKinely stated the city council needs to approve transferring the park from the Landscape and Lighting District to the general fund. He wasn’t sure when the matter is on the city council agenda, but once the transfer is approved public works can create a preliminary plan for improving the athletic fields, upgrading the play equipment, repairing the restroom, installing new lighting and other needed infrastructures.
This plan will be presented to the community in a meeting on December 12, the exact time and location is to be announced. Community members are welcome to attend and share what they think the park needs in the way of repairs or upgrades. McKinley stated the public, especially the Riverbank residents, will have the opportunity to become part of the process at that time. McKinley stated the city intends to work closely with the neighbors to have as little impact on the quality of their community as possible.
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