'Wet' river is just what we asked for
The Bakersfield community strongly supports restoring water to the Kern River through the downtown area to Beach Park. Evidence of this support stems from a community visioning process undertaken a decade ago -- Greater Bakersfield Vision 2020. More than 13,000 residents participated the process, which resulted in the development of a plan, complete with strategies and specific action items, released back to the community for implementation in January 2001.
The important Quality of Life plan contains several strategies specific to the Kern River, notably Strategy #9: "Keep water in the Kern River year-round through Beach Park." Among the action items is: "Support governor's $23 million Kern River Restoration project to keep water in Kern River through Beach Park."
Another relevant strategy is Strategy #8: "Provide additional recreational and other activities along the Kern River." Action items for this strategy include: "Provide easier public access to the Kern River bottom at Beach Park by creating entrances to safe areas of the river; improve river use for recreation with barbecues, chess tables, etc., in parks along the river; and provide maps and parkway information at Kern River Parkway access points."
Strategy #7 calls for "a green, landscaped river shoreline along the Kern River at Beach Park that includes recreational use."
The complete Action Plan and documented process may be viewed online at www.bakersfieldvision2020.com. We would encourage the Regional Water Quality Control Board to consider all this in acting on the city of Bakersfield's application to run available water down the Kern River riverbed.
SHERYL BARBICH
President,
Greater Bakersfield Vision 2020
