This is a petition calling upon the University of California Davis to keep the Russell, Howard, Toomey and A-Street fields permanently as open playing fields in their current (2016) configuration.

               Two recent versions of the UCD Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) called for building housing, academic, or administrative buildings on the sites of two or more of above mentioned fields.  This would greatly diminish athletic space at the core of campus and open space between campus and the city.

               These intramural (IM) fields provide valuable space for IM and club sports and other activities important to health and physical and mental well being of students and other Davis residents and are central to student life because of their central location.

               The above mentioned fields have become a mainstay of life in Davis for students and other Davis residents.  Their value as open fields far outweighs the minimal benefits of the limited amount of housing, academic, administrative, or other buildings that could be added at the sites (such buildings can easily be located elsewhere), and therefore we feel the fields should be protected to stay as they now are, and to not be considered for development for other uses.

               Keeping the fields in their current use is consistent with UCD’s intent and purpose as previously stated in the 2003 UCD LRDP, which expressed the importance of “green open spaces that face the community along Russell Boulevard and A Street” as “features of the visual environment that are consistently valued by members of the campus community”.  These fields continue to be considered by many as essential to the soul of the campus and town.

We the undersigned call for the continued use of Russell, A St., Howard, and Toomey fields in their current location and form as open fields suitable for athletics, events, and many varied activities, not the least of which is their pure beauty and value as open space.