A Vision for Health, Nature, and Community in Banning
Sunset Crossroads Community Wellness Park & Nature Preserve Proposal

The Opportunity

The Sunset Crossroads site represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the City of Banning to choose a future rooted in long-term wellness, environmental stewardship, and sustainable economic vitality—rather than short-term industrial expansion.

Rather than converting this highly visible gateway land into large-scale industrial development, this proposal advances an alternative vision: a Community Wellness Park & Nature Preserve that supports public health, protects native land, strengthens small businesses, and creates a lasting legacy for future generations.

The Vision

Sunset Crossroads becomes a living gateway into Banning—a place of arrival, pause, and connection.

Instead of a pass-through corridor, it becomes a shared civic heart where:

• Residents move, gather, and restore
• Families celebrate and connect
• Elders enjoy shaded, walkable paths
• Children learn from the land
• Visitors are invited to stay, explore, and return
   

Wellness is not a program here—it is embedded into the environment itself. The land is honored as a living system, cared for through preservation, restoration, and stewardship. 

What the Park Includes 

🌿 Community Wellness Park
 

An inclusive, intergenerational space designed for daily use and community life:

• Walking, hiking, and biking trails
• Shaded seating and rest areas
• Outdoor fitness stations
• Open lawns for yoga, tai chi, and gatherings
• Dog park for daily activation and social connection
• Sculpture garden and public art

Amphitheater or natural gathering space for:

• Movie nights
• Concerts
• Community events and classes
• Small business markets

Designated ceremony space for weddings, memorials, and life celebrations
  

🌱 Nature Preserve & Education

Protected land focused on conservation and learning:

• Native habitat restoration
• Climate resilience and air-quality buffering
• Nature and learning center
• Collaboration with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians to honor Indigenous land knowledge
• Passive trails for reflection, birdwatching, and education
   

🌻 Community Gardens

Hands-on spaces for shared stewardship:

• Food cultivation and native plant propagation
• Intergenerational gardening programs
• Seasonal planting and restoration days
• Partnerships with nearby communities (e.g., Sun Lakes)

Why This Matters
 

Research consistently shows that access to green space:

• Reduces anxiety, depression, and chronic disease
• Improves mental health and cognitive well-being
• Strengthens social bonds and community resilience
• Increases nearby property values
• Supports small business growth and local spending
   

The vision aligns with established public-health and urban-planning research showing that access to nature improves long-term health outcomes and quality of life. 

Access to natural environments lead to:

• Natural movement
• Social connection
• Stress reduction
• Purpose-driven community engagement
   

Clean air becomes infrastructure.

Mental well-being becomes public safety.

Nature becomes a shared civic asset.

Economic & Community Benefits
 

This is not anti-growth—it is smart growth.

• Draws visitors off the I-10 into Banning
• Creates consistent foot traffic for local businesses
• Supports markets, events, and cultural programming
• Increases desirability for families, retirees, and entrepreneurs
• Reduces long-term public health and infrastructure costs
   

A Legacy Choice

Future generations will inherit either congestion and extraction—or balance, beauty, and belonging.

By choosing a Community Wellness Park & Nature Preserve, Banning chooses:

• Health over haste
• Connection over consumption
• Stewardship over short-term gain
   

This is a decision that will still be felt 30–50 years from now.

Sign the petition to support a healthier, more resilient future for Banning.