Wildomar Considers Options For Keeping Its Parks Open

Measure D may have failed, but Wildomar City Council is not ready to give up the fight for parks.

During Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, council members unanimously agreed that an existing Parks and Recreation Committee consisting of Mayor Marsha Swanson and Councilwoman Bridgette Moore meet to discuss possible options for keeping the city’s parks open.

, asked Wildomar voters to incur a special tax to pay for maintenance of the city’s three parks – , and . The city has maintained that without funding from Measure D, the parks will close.

City Manager Frank Oviedo reminded City Council Wednesday night that funding for the parks is available through the 2010-11 fiscal year, which ends June 30.

According to the city's revised 2010-11 fiscal year budget, it currently costs Wildomar $174,000 annually to maintain its three parks.

During Wednesday's meeting, council members offered cost-cutting measures for the Parks and Recreation Committee to consider. Ideas thrown out included reducing water and power usage at the parks; asking homeowners near Windsong if they might be willing to form a Community Services District to maintain that park; entering into a joint powers agreement with the Lake Elsinore Unified School District to keep Heritage open; and asking sports leagues to absorb higher fees to use the parks.

“I think we have to do what we can to keep the parks open,” Councilman Bob Cashman said. “We have to be thinking about these things.”

Oviedo suggested that the committee “come back with a menu” of options for consideration and that the issue be put on a future City Council agenda for public discussion.