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the Park Blocks or at Alton Baker Park. He noted that New York City had a large area with chess tables, as did a cabana on the Waikiki Beach. He declared that the city of Eugene was a “powerhouse” in the game of chess and many of the State champions at many different levels were local residents. Mary Monette , 3261 Richard Avenue, co-chair of Friends of Golden Gardens Park, explained that the group had been founded one month earlier at a meeting of the Active Bethel Citizens (ABC). She related that three mothers whose boys drowned in the northeast pond spoke to ABC about the unsafe conditions at the park and their determination to prevent more deaths. She previously assumed that the boys were not supervised or could not swim, but learned that because of the inaccessibility of the park it was not frequented by many adults and was an unregulated haven for kids. She stated that the Friends of Golden Gardens Park made progress and had as a goal the prevention of even one more drowning in those ponds as well as to make the park into a site both the Bethel area and the City could be proud of. She reported that the group met with Johnny Medlin, director of the Parks and Open Spaces Division. She said the inaccessibility of the park for rescuers and adults was a huge factor in the previous drownings. She noted that the one-lane bridge was slated to be rebuilt by the end of the summer. Because one of the main goals being sought is to increase adult traffic Mr. Medlin agreed to have a temporary foot bridge built over the canal and to install picnic tables and garbage cans. She related that with the help of parks and recreation staff, Councilor Solomon, City firefighters, and neighborhood organizers, the group developed a strong plan including funding for a feasibility study, purchase of significant acreage in order to slope the banks of the ponds to enhance safety, and a public education campaign to increase awareness of the ponds and their dangers. She urged the council to move the development of the park to a much higher priority on the project list. She stated that the group was willing to help with the work. Copies of the plan were provided to the council. Diane Shock , 5509 Barger Drive, echoed Ms. Monette’s request. She averred that making the park more attractive would help eliminate unsupervised activities. She said that to attract more citizens to the park, more access and positive recreational opportunities were needed. She related that the Friends of Golden Gardens Park envisioned the park to include recreation, both individual and organized group activities such as fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing, jogging, and other activities compatible with the quiet, natural setting. She stated that swimming would be discouraged and redirected to supervised facilities such as the Echo Hollow Pool. The group also envisioned educational opportunities at the park, such as environmental awareness, stewardship, and an appreciation for wildlife. She thought individual and family participation would be encouraged in addition to its use in programs by organizations such as the West Eugene Wetlands Education Center. She said Shasta Middle School and Clear Lake Elementary School were within walking distance of the ponds and would enhance the ability to plan and execute field trips. She remarked that the park was uniquely 90 percent water and water movement in and out of the ponds provided fresh water habitat and year-round water levels necessary for encouraging the reproduction and sustenance of fish and significant aquatic insects. She stressed that the Active Bethel Citizens believed that safety comes first and that the park needed to be developed for increased use by area citizens. Carrol Dower , 1000 Welcome Way, commented that the Golden Gardens Park area was known locally as “The Pits.” She stated that the neighborhood had lost a total of five teenage boys to drowning at this site, all in the same pond. She said all of the boys were responsible adolescent boys who knew how to swim. She reported that the park was almost exclusively frequented by teens for fishing, swimming, and riding dirt bikes. She noted that the community was growing and a large portion of the population in that area was comprised of adolescents and children, 6,000 of whom were enrolled in Bethel area schools. She stressed the importance of the development of the park to the community. She said the rescue effort in June 2005 was greatly hampered by the lack of a bridge to access the pond. She related that the Emergency MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 10, 2006 Page 4 Regular Meeting