(or update Registation)ISSUES | Recreation |
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SAFE Fields Coalition Filled Richmond AuditoriumThe SAFE Fields Coalition showed the potential for united action in Richmond. More than 800 people participated in the Safe Fields Coalition celebration at the Richmond Auditorium on August 24 with a potluck, music, and short speeches. The kids had center stage that night. They had the tables on the main floor and most of the adults ate and sat in the sloping stands seats. This was an example of how we can get real unity in Richmond through organizing around issues that broad sections of the population need. The coalition is seeking sufficient, free, safe, fields in good conditions for all major sports. All kids should have easy access to healthy physical activity which also teaches teamwork and skill.
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SAFE Fields Coalition
Members: The SAFE coalition has now members representing Richmond United Soccer Club, Richmond Sol, Richmond Eclipse Club, Richmond Youth Baseball, the Richmond Progressive Alliance and others. We keep expanding. The Big Problem: The coalition has now a better understanding of the size of our need of athletic fields, particularly soccer fields. Based on the December 2010 Richmond Parks Master Plan pages 120-125 the city estimates that at least 19 new soccer fields and two new baseball fields are needed The SAFE Fields coalition believes that this impressive number is still an underestimate of the need, and that if Richmond were to have ratios of soccer fields to population similar to what cities like San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and others have the gap is more like 30 additional soccer fields [ as well as 4 additional baseball fields]. The City report and our own estimates highlight the enormous pressure for soccer fields that we experience in Richmond and how soccer fields are our priority while supporting and working also to respond the fields needs of all sports activities in Richmond. What we are doing: The coalition leadership is meeting next week with the city manager to discuss the terms of the request for ‘free access to Richmond fields” (both City and WCCUSD), supported by both the Richmond City Council and the WCCUSD board at their January 25th joint meeting. We need more WCCUSD fields and city parks open and prepared, and we want free access to them. The SAFE coalition members continue an outreach campaign to promote “All sports for all children” and in particular to encourage young African American men and women, boys and girls to see soccer as a sport that welcomes their participation. Soccer can be a great opportunity for all our communities to develop our “One Richmond” values and to bring us together for the days ahead. Coalition members have distributed hundreds of promotional door hungers [see attached] in neighborhoods of the southside of Richmond, covering already all the Eastshore, Park View and parts of Crescent Park neighborhoods. We are also preparing for outreach in North Richmond culminating in a “soccer clinic day” [Sunday May First] We need you: The SAFE Fields coalition has a great task in front of us: 30 additional soccer fields and four additional baseball fields are needed in Richmond: We need all the help we can get from all sectors of society willing to make Richmond better in this regrads, and everyone’s participation is welcome; We can only close this gap with everyone coming into the space of the gap. We especially welcome people representing all Richmond sports’ clubs and leagues. Flyer Full Size English Flyer Full Size Spanish
Juan Reardon [RPA member and SAFE Fields Coalition facilitator |
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The Richmond SAFE Athletic Fields for Education Coalition, is a coalition spearheaded by the RPA and working for “sufficient multi-purpose, all-weather, illuminated and safe fields in Richmond”. We had our third monthly meeting on Wednesday March 23rd. We appreciated the generosity of the Solar Richmond organization for allowing us to use their office for this meeting.