The City Council voted 4-3 to approve closure of parts of Lower Bidwell Park to vehicles at the June 17 meeting. Mayor Kasey Reynolds, Vice Mayor Dale Bennett and Councilmember Michael O’Brien voted in opposition.
Many of the 17 speakers during the public comment session opposed the plan to close the entire stretch of South Park Drive—running parallel to Woodland Avenue—to vehicular traffic. Under the plan, the parking lot at the One Mile Recreation Area will only be accessed via Woodland Avenue, and the plan will be implemented in the summer of 2026.
“There has been no proof, no evidence that any of these improvements are needed, except for the resurfacing of the pathway, the roadway in the park,” said Elizabeth Griffin, who, like most speakers, supported pavement rehabilitation without any other changes.