“Every vacant lot should be a park.” Those are the wise words of Cate, resident of the South Tower District, home of Fresno’s newest community green space. That isn’t just some random observation. Cate actually watched a patch of dirt and weeds in her neighborhood go from eyesore to eye candy, and has experienced firsthand the positive effects Broadway Parque has had on the area.
On July 31, Broadway Parque officially opened to the public with a ribbon cutting ceremony that celebrated not only the park itself, but the tenacity and hard work of an entire neighborhood. With speeches from local dignitaries, live entertainment (including music, spoken word, a stilt walker, and drag story hour), ice cream, fresh fruit cups, and barbecued ribs, the party continued until after the sun went down.
But the transformation didn’t happen overnight. To those who rarely venture south of Olive Avenue, it might seem as though Broadway Parque appeared instantaneously, like a genie from a bottle. Nope. In truth, it was a long, complicated but ultimately empowering journey that began in 2017 when a police substation on Broadway Street was scheduled to be demolished.
The neighborhood surrounding the corner of Broadway and Elizabeth streets is tight-knit. The neighbors know and look out for one another and take pride in the area’s diversity and history. Their biggest fear, which came close to becoming reality, was that a developer would snap up the soon-to-be vacant parcel and build yet another tacky apartment complex that would invade the neighborhood’s integrity, threaten its safety, and stick out like a sore thumb. But this is the Tower District, and as past events have proven, the people who live there don’t sit around whining or waiting for things to happen. They stand up for what matters and take action.
Advocate and community organizer, Kiel Lopez-Schmidt (he/they), was raised in the area. After becoming aware of the City of Fresno’s plans to sell the property for housing without informing those living in the vicinity, he took it upon himself to talk to his friends and neighbors about what they’d like to see done with the plot. He went door-to-door, seeking their input. Kiel explains, “Ninety-six per cent of folks within two blocks wanted a park,” and since no one at City Hall had solicited anyone’s opinion, they cut to the chase, organized, and demanded “a quality all-ages park on public land.” Working nonstop, they sent postcards to Fresno City Council members and wrote grant requests to the State of California. Focused on their mission, they showed up at City Hall in numbers, remained diligent, visible, and vocal, and under Kiel’s leadership, formed their own non-profit, the South Tower Community Land Trust. Their biggest obstacle was lack of financial backing, something the City of Fresno required before their application would even be considered. But when funds from Measure P (Fresno’s 3/8 cent sales tax for creating, maintaining, and improving local parks and facilities) became available, Kiel says, “There was finally a path forward for our park.” Call it Divine Providence, Lady Luck, The Force, or whatever, this beloved project had finally gotten a break.
Although there was now light at the end of a very long tunnel, the work didn’t stop and nothing was taken for granted. Meetings, research, and brainstorming continued, but now there was more of a sense of hope. One of the most sensitive issues was the naming of the park. From the beginning it was just Broadway Park. But when Latine residents of the neighborhood admitted they frequently felt unwelcome in the Tower District, the spelling and pronunciation of “park” were changed to the Spanish, parque, out of respect and inclusion.
Now, eight years after Kiel went knocking on doors, all that persistence has paid off. On that hot mid-morning in August, the mood was jubilant. There were many speeches in which everyone involved in the creation of Broadway Parque was congratulated and thanked, and a real ribbon was actually cut by a very small child wielding a very large pair of scissors. But most of all, people of all ages were enjoying the park. With a bird’s eye view from atop his stilts, Adrien Antics Lim was excited to see something like Broadway Parque happening in the Tower District. “It’s good to see investments being made south of Shaw,” he said from his lofty perch. Zenon Richardson lives a few blocks from the park and was enjoying the festivities with his toddler son, Neil. Asked if they would be using the facility on a regular basis, Zenon responded, “Ooohhhh yeeeeeeahh! We’re going to be coming here every day!”
Although everyone is welcome to visit the crown jewel of the South Tower District, it wasn’t meant to be a destination for those who live elsewhere. It has no pickleball or basketball courts, no splash pad and no restrooms. All-ages and all-abilities accessible, it was designed to meet the needs and desires of the families who live in the neighborhood. It has play equipment for climbing, sliding, spinning. and soaring, with safety features that don’t minimize the fun factor. The ground in the playground area has a spongy rubber surface that feels that if you were to fall, you’d bounce right back up like Tigger. There are sturdy tables and benches underneath suspended shades and a covered stage area for community gatherings, a game of hopscotch, or just hanging out. On opening day, laughing children glided back and forth on swings and made music on built-in percussion instruments while a group of young men kicked a soccer ball on a grassy field.
Not just any park in any neighborhood, Broadway Parque is something these neighbors and families value because it is theirs. It exists because they wanted it badly enough to spend eight years fighting for it. They didn’t have prestigious political contacts or friends in high places; just the drive, determination, leadership, and willingness to work long and hard. From vacant lot to community park, that’s the magic that made this dream come true.
To learn more about the South Tower Community Land Trust, visit their Facebook page or their website, southtowerclt.org. You can also follow Broadway Parque on Facebook…