Magnolia Park is the public park visible from Placer Street behind Schreder Planetarium in the Magnolia Neighborhood of west Redding. It is a well maintained, grassy park and is used often by families and children for play and recreation, sports teams for practices, and school groups for celebratory events. It is the only public park and playground located within walking distance of most residences in the densely populated neighborhood.

Recently, without making efforts to inform the general public or users of the park, the governing board of the Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) quietly voted to the demolish the park and in its place build a new 4,224 sq.ft. Medical Therapy Unit and parking lot. The only people SCOE notified about the project were the six or seven Orange Avenue owners whose properties directly face the park. Construction plans have already been drawn and construction is proposed to begin in March, 2017.

It is unacceptable for a public, taxpayer-funded entity to approve a project with such significant long-term impact to the neighborhood without first having actively informed the public about the project and its potential impacts, sought feedback, and openly discussed potential alternatives.

By signing below, I ask SCOE to reconsider its decision to demolish Magnolia Park until it provides adequate opportunity for public comment on the project, documents its assessment of potential alternative project sites, and demonstrates that the loss of the park is not a significant negative impact on the City and its residents.