Thomas Peters, Jared Huffman Announce Formation of Open Parks Coalition

August 16, 2011

contact: Fred Silverman (415.464.2527 or via email)

Assemblyman Jared Huffman and Marin Community Foundation President Thomas Peters announced today that they would co-chair the Open Parks Coalition, a community forum for information and advocacy regarding the ongoing efforts to preserve and protect California’s state parks.

The coalition will bring together interested individuals, leaders of community organizations, and government officials who share the common goal of finding ways to ensure that state parks remain accessible to all and, most immediately, to devise ways to keep open the four state parks in Marin County currently slated for closure next spring.

In making the announcement, Assemblyman Huffman acknowledged the passionate interest already shown throughout the community to participate in this effort. “Working together, I’m confident that the commitment and creativity of this community will lead the way in keeping these wonderful parks open for all to enjoy—both in the short and long term,” he said. “And I’m also convinced that our work here in Marin will be a model that will strike a chord in Sacramento, as we demonstrate how deeply the people of California cherish these natural treasures.”

The Open Parks Coalition will be engaged over the next several months in strategy discussions and public forums, all intended to mine for the best ideas and options for the near-term goal of keeping the currently threatened parks open and the longer-term goal of structuring a permanent solution for the protection and preservation of all the parks throughout the state.

Marin Community Foundation President Thomas Peters said, “I’m honored to join with Assemblyman Huffman in co-chairing this important effort. And I certainly share his confidence that Marin’s proud history of environmental advocacy serves as an excellent base to cogently and emphatically assert the extraordinary value of these parks. Historically, environmentally, and socially, state parks have a unique standing in California history, one well worth our intensive advocacy.”

California State Parks District Superintendent Danita Rodriguez applauded the new effort. “The beauty and value of these parks will only be preserved if the campaign to protect them is a community-wide effort,” she said. “My staff and I want to benefit from the best ideas that can be put forward, and this coalition will provide exactly the technical and public forums that will be of extraordinary value in our thinking, both here in the Marin District and in Sacramento.”

Assemblyman Huffman and MCF President Peters indicated that the work of the new coalition will get fully under way by the middle of next month. In the meantime, they stressed that contrary to some reports, no parks are in danger of imminent closure, including Samuel P. Taylor State Park, which will remain open with camping continuing to be available after September 5 on a first-come, first-served basis.

A meeting to be held on August 17, 2011 is a pre-planning, internal meeting to discuss housekeeping issues for the collaborative, including a process and timeline to collect public input.