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Indybay Feature

Marching and Speaking Out to Save the Beach Flats Community Center and Gardens

by ~Bradley (bradley [at] riseup.net)
The Beach Flats Community Center (BFCC) is the neighborhood resource center in the heart of the Beach Flats community. For the last 15 years the BFCC has provided programming that is flexible and continually responsive to emerging community needs.
dear-neighbors_12-9-08.jpg
With community support, the BFCC has steadily worked hard to increase the quality of life in the Beach Flats, increased parent participation in all programs, graduated over 190 children from preschool programs, provided a safe place for children, planted over 150 trees, promoted literacy, and can today boast to having 0 youth on probation in the neighborhood.

The City of Santa Cruz's Budget Subcommittee has recommended the full closure of the BFCC.

Full closure of the BFCC will impact all of the services and programs provided by and through the Community Center, including permitted use of the Beach Flats Park and permitted use of the Community Gardens since BFCC Staff manage Poet's Park and the Beach Flats Community Garden with committee support.

Contact Reyna Ruiz at the BFCC at 831-420-6125 for more information.

* Text taken from a flyer handed out during the march from Beach Flats Park to the Santa Cruz City Council meeting on December 9, 2008.

More information is posted at:

Santa Cruz mulls decision to permanently close museums, pool, and community center
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/12/05/18553749.php

Possible closing of Beach Flats Community Garden & Community Center
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/12/05/18553759.php

Santa Cruz Five Year Financial Forecast (pie graph)
http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/12/05/sc-five-year-financial-fore.gif

--------------

Marcha y Habla Para Salvar el Centro Comunitario de la Playa y los Jardínes

El Centro Comunitario de la Playa, antes conocido como "La trailita" es un centro de recursos comunitarios en el mero corazón de la playa. El Centro Comunitario de la Playa hace esfuerzos en proveer programación que es flexible y que continuamente responde a las necesidades de familias y de la comunidad.

Con el apoyo de la comunidad, El Centro Comunitario de la Playa consistentemente trabajado muy duro para mejorar la calidad de vida en la vecindad de Beach Flats. El Centro Comunitario de la Playa ha incrementado la participación de padres en todos los programas, graduado mas de 190 niños de sus programas pre-escolares, proveído un lugar seguro para los niños, plantado mas de 150 árboles en la vecindad, promovido la lectura, y hoy puede orgullosamente decir que tiene 0 niños en probación en la vecindad de Beach Flats.

El subcomité de presupuestos de la Ciudad de Santa Cruz esta recomendando la COMPLETA clausura del Centro Comunitario de la Playa, antes conocido como "La Tralita".

La completa clausura del Centro Comunitario impactaría todos los servicios y programas proveídos por el Centro y que pasan por el Centro, inclyendo las reservaciones para parque Beach Flats, el permitido uso de Jardín Poeta y el uso con contrato del Jardín Comunitario con el apoyo de comité.

Comuníquense con Reyna Ruiz en el Centro Comunitario de la Playa al 831-420-6125.

* Texto tomado de un flyer distribuido durante la marcha del parque Beach Flats a la reunión del Concilio de Santa Cruz el 9 de diciembre de 2008.
§Save The Kid's Club
by ~Bradley
kids-club_12-9-08.jpg
§Sign Painting
by ~Bradley
sign-painting_12-9-08.jpg
§Swings
by ~Bradley
swings_12-9-08.jpg
§Beach Flats Community Center
by ~Bradley
bfcc_12-9-08.jpg
§Who's Here Today?
by ~Bradley
classroom_12-9-08.jpg
§Chilacayote at the Beach Flats Community Garden
by ~Bradley
chilacayote_12-9-08.jpg
Cucurbita ficifolia is an annual vine or trailing plant grown at high altitudes for its edible seeds, fruit, and greens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita_ficifolia
§Poet's Park
by ~Bradley
poets-park_12-9-08.jpg
nuestra-cultura_12-9-08.jpg
The Community Center Is Where We Express Our Culture
§Pacific Avenue
by ~Bradley
pacific_12-9-08.jpg
Save the Beach Flats Community Center
§Children Do Better When They Feel Better.....
by ~Bradley
do-better_12-9-08.jpg
§Escuela Familiar de la Playa
by ~Bradley
escuela-familiar_12-9-08.jpg
§Save The Beach Flats Community Garden
by ~Bradley
brent_12-9-08.jpg
§Kevin Vogel and Zach Friend
by ~Bradley
vogel-friend_12-9-08.jpg
Kevin Vogel is the Deputy Chief of Police at the Santa Cruz Police Department and Zach Friend is the SCPD's Spokesman.

Police services are the largest single expenditure of the city alone and account for more than 25% of the budget.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/12/05/18553759.php
§Mother and Daughter
by ~Bradley
madre-hija_12-9-08.jpg
§Parks and Recreation
by ~Bradley
parks-rec_12-9-08.jpg
§Kid's March
by ~Bradley
kids-march_12-9-08.jpg
§Estoy Triste Porque Me Quitan Un Sueño
by ~Bradley
un-sueno_12-9-08.jpg
I am sad because they are taking away my dream
§Save Beach Flats
by ~Bradley
save-beach-flats_12-9-08.jpg
§We Love The BFCC
by ~Bradley
love-bfcc_12-9-08.jpg
§City Hall
by ~Bradley
city-hall_12-9-08.jpg
§Help Us To Save Our Future
by ~Bradley
future_12-9-08.jpg
§Next Steps
by ~Bradley
next-steps_12-9-08.jpg
§Help Us Save The Pre School
by ~Bradley
pre-school_12-9-08.jpg
§Save the Beach Flats Community Garden
by ~Bradley
save-bfcg_12-9-08.jpg
§Teach and Learn
by ~Bradley
teach-learn_12-9-08.jpg
§Marciano Cruz
by ~Bradley
marciano-cruz_12-9-08.jpg
"Chango" Recognized with "Marciano Cruz Day" on May 12 in Santa Cruz
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/05/16/18499787.php
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Brent Lucifer
A great turn-out and great community comments to the City Council by all of the departments slated for closure.
It is very disheartening to see such an intractable process.
We let them know we care... they seem resolute in they're path.
CUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BY 20%!!!
by Robert Norse
Thanks, Brent, for your voice and leadership. We'll miss you at the Drum Circle today.

It would be great if some of the Beach Flats supporters also showed to support the right of those outside, those who value the weekly drumming event, and those who uphold the right to assemble peacefully in public places, actually show up today in support.

Sgt. Harms, who stopped the event last week with threats, will be there. Will we?
by La Raza
Umm, Brent, did it ever occur to you that those of us who live in the Flats have more pressing concerns than a bunch of white people who don't work and their drum circle? Come to the Flats, see what our struggle is, the poverty we face, the racism.

When OUR struggle is over and we have what we need, then we can take the time to look at this issue...

by La Raza
Brent, it was Robert who made the comment that annoyed me. Sorry, homes...
by Ex-Flatter.
La Raza, thank you for pointing that out.

I was in the Beach Flats for 11 years, through the 90's. Robert does not even live in Santa Cruz, so I doubt he understands what the residents in the flat have to deal with. Beach Flats is really the red headed step child of the city. It's also the main reason why this town needs district elections. I know Robert tends to piss and moan about Tony, but in my eyes it's nice to have someone that is not a rich WASP from the westside.

Robert, I'm sorry that I'm not giving the downtown and the drum circle the attention you think it requires. I thought that stuff would have stopped after Jerry died. Right now my thoughts and efforts are to keep badly needed services that my friends, family and other residents of the city use open. Your running around calling Ryan a meanie and a terrorist doesn't help my cause, and few other causes either.
by Brent Lucifer
I live in the Beach Flats. I have a plot in the community garden and lots of friends here who will be directly affected by the closure of the
Community Center. It is a travesty. To close an important safety net for the poor and this typically disenfranchised community will have
dramatic direct effects on life in this family neighborhood. The Center has helped clean this area up and give residents a feeling of
belonging and participation. Without it, the opposite is likely to happen. Child care, Kid's Club, a parent co-op, computer access, community
garden management and lots of other service that I don't know about because I don't use them. They provide all of this at a surprisingly low cost to the city. The Surf Museum is much more costly and has no direct link to family and community support.
I see the City sticking they're money difficulties on the poor families of the Beach Flats. Instead of cutting funds for the massively bloated
police force. They just bought an Urban Assault Vehicle. Screw the poor and beef up the police... that's the plan folks. Get used to it.
What's worse is that the poor is going to rise in number massively in the future.
I say, cut the police and give the money to those who need it and are already benefiting from it.

By the way, I completely support Robert Norse in all he does. He quite selflessly gives his time and energy to causes that are under defended. That is very noble quality. He may say something that you disagree with but he doesn't deserve your negative comments especially when
you are not making your voice heard on the issue. I challenge you to speak up and do something.
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