Less park than parkway
By: JIM TRAGESER - Staff Writer | ∞
When is a park no longer a park?
Perhaps a park ceases to be a real park when it is no longer a refuge from urban living, when it is unable to serve its purpose of providing relief from traffic, noise and the stress of daily life.
If we're going by that standard, then it's fair to ask if Kit Carson Park in Escondido is really much of a park during weekday mornings.
My colleague John Van Doorn has already written about the problem of visual pollution in Kit Carson Park in the form of graffiti.
But graffiti, it seems to me, is the least of that otherwise lovely park's problems.
Chief among them -- at least for those who try to use the park as a park between the hours of 6 and 8 a.m. -- is that it has become more of a thoroughfare for those seeking to avoid the morning rush-hour traffic on Bear Valley Parkway than it is a park.
Of course, avoiding rush hours is a good thing for one's blood pressure -- those whom I see at Kit Carson in the mornings jogging, walking their dogs, feeding the ducks, riding their bikes, playing tennis or otherwise sensibly engaged in ignoring the craziness of modern life are to be admired.
They should be doubly admired for having to keep their eyes peeled for all their neighbors who insist on using the park as a shortcut on their commute.
Every morning, Kit Carson's 20 mph speed limit is roughly doubled by most of the vehicles racing from L.R. Green School through the park to the exit near the mall, bypassing the backed-up traffic on Bear Valley. Some of the drivers easily triple the speed limit. Nor do many seem troubled by the stop signs or the prospect of running over a pedestrian or two.
Myself, I'm guilty of using the park as a place to drop my kids off at San Pasqual High School, preferring to, first, make them walk a little and, second, avoid the lines to get into the traffic circle or parking lots at the high school itself.
But because I know that I am in a sense trespassing in the park, using it for a wholly inappropriate utilitarian end at odds with its true purpose, I try to make sure I obey the speed limit in the park. To actually come to a stop at the stop signs. To respect the space of the joggers and bicyclists, the dog walkers and duck feeders.
For those efforts, I'm often passed by those in a rush to get wherever they're going. (And as much as I love my job, I don't think I have ever been in that much of a hurry to get here.) Others flip the bird, tailgate or otherwise express their displeasure with my refusal to race through a park.
A few have even yelled threats of physical violence. Fortunately, they were apparently in too big a hurry to try to follow through.
Not that I'm any angel on the road -- I've certainly had my share of road rage through the years, often feeling like Dennis the Menace's dad when I blow my top.
But in a park?
A park without a sense of safety and peace, a park that's no longer an escape -- that's not really a park, is it? It's just a really narrow roadway with really wide grass shoulders.
-- Contact columnist Jim Trageser at (760) 631-6628 or jtrageser@nctimes.com.
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Pablo wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:09 AM:As usual the NCT has not properly evaluated the subject of its criticism. The road through Kit Carson Park is a through street. A sidewalk parallels the entire road making it completely safe for dog walkers, joggers, duck feeders, etc. who observe the rules and keep their activities out of traffic. Parking lots separate from the road have already been provided for people that want to park their vehicles away from others using the road. All of the park facilities are accessible without anyone having to set foot in the roads. The stop signs at virtually every intersection provide numerous safe crossing points for park users who need to cross the road. 20 mph speed limits and stop signs are already in place. If the traffic controls are enforced there is no reason to prohibit parents going to or from San Pasqual, LR Green or Bear Valley schools from using the park road to avoid congestion on Bear Valley Parkway. Also, there are many dual users of the road. Many of the park users drop their children off and then use park facilities, bike riders, tennis players, walkers, duck feeders, parents with children of preschool age using the playgrounds, etc. Many parents and their children also meet at park facilities and use those facilities in the afternoon after school for playing with friends, picnics or whatever. As an alternate Jimmy perhaps you and the other crack reporters at the NCT could investigate and find out why the city of Escondido continues to allow on-street parking on Collector roads, you know, streets where the City's General Plan says no parking should be allowed to facilitate traffic flow. I'm all for improving traffic flow on Bear Valley Parkway and developing alternate routes for commuters so they won't be causing congestion at the school locations. Maybe if the city banned parking and improved 17th and Felicita from San Pasqual Valley Road to Citracado commuters coming from north of San Pasqual Valley Road could use 17th and Felicita to access 15 at Center City Parkway and Citracado and not use Bear Valley Parkway. Think you can get your editor to allow a story on why the General Plan is not being observed Jimmy.
Flashburn Joe wrote on Aug 31, 2007 12:44 PM:Geez "pablo"... This is the "Opinion" of Jim, and while you are entitled to your "opinion" I don't think you need to be bashing Jim and his staff while diong so!!! I agree with points made by both of you, but the overpopulation of Escondido is purely to blame for all of this. I find no shortage of complete idoits (most likely 50% of them unlicensed) driving the streets of Escondido on a daily basis, not just Kit Karson!!!
Blue wrote on Sep 30, 2007 10:13 AM:Hey, When will people open there eyes! Kit Carson needs alot help. The park signs are miss leading and they are not enforced. We have Queen Califia Magical Garden at the park and people can't find it, because the park signs do not provide direction. Here's a list of things I see everyday, that would make a difference. Sand Lake needs dredging,exotic plants removed,install trails, etc... I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you. Thank you.
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