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Letter to the Editor: BMX AT JESMOND DENE PARK: TOO EXTREME FOR YOUTH


Editor, Times-Advocate:

There is NO support for BMX in Escondido — only in the minds of two council members who think otherwise. Bottom line, BMX offers the City of Escondido zilch, nada, zippo. In fact, it would bring forth problems not otherwise present without BMX.

Yet the Escondido City Council pushes forward to place one of these gladiatorial monsters at Jesmond Dene Park — and directly across the street from many residences. That’s right, directly across the street from lots of homes (just like their failed attempt to place BMX in Kit Carson Park).  Imagine an amusement-park-like-ride being built directly across from YOUR domicile. How would you handle it? Probably just like the home owners who will no doubt file a class action lawsuit to prevent their instant loss of home equity – estimated at 20% by knowledgable brokers. I’d call that the City’s “800-pound gorilla” they shouldn’t ignore. But wait — there’s more! Then there’s the “elephant on-the-table,” the fact BMX is an “extreme” sport due to the integral danger for its youthful participants (as young as four). i.e. How many sports do you know that recommend “body armor” for participants? Bottom line, an extreme sport has no business being in a public park – no matter what the sport, no matter where you put it, and no matter how you fund it.

It’s time for the City to fess up it acted in haste and pull BMX from Jesmond Dene Park’s Master Plan.

JIMMY BEAN, Escondido

*Note: Opinions expressed by columnists and letter writers are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the newspaper.

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