Submitted by Heidi Iversen

Most Coronado residents have no idea that youth sports is under fire as a result of the Coronado Cays Rehabilitation Project. The Coronado Cays Park is a park for all the residents of the City of Coronado and equitable input from all residents should be considered before the City makes a decision.

Below is a copy of an email sent to the city today:

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To: Tina Friend, Bill Sandke, James Newton

Fields for youth sports are essential for a healthy and vibrant community like Coronado!

Coronado is a community of families and parks and recreation areas are essential to vibrant and healthy communities like ours! Coronado children and youth soccer via the Coronado Football Club has been using the fields in the Cays for almost two decades. At a time when our youth are more in need of outdoor recreation areas and overall support than ever before, it seems reprehensible that the City of Coronado would consider taking away the only city-owned park currently available for our children to play the sports that they love. And this isn’t the first time, Sunset Park has also recently been removed from the list as a city park space where youth sports could operate. Coronado Cays park is literally the last city-owned park where youth sports are allowed to operate.

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The Cays park is called the Coronado Cays Park because it is a park that serves all of the citizens of Coronado, not simply those residents or 2nd homeowners that live in the Cays. All Coronado residents should have equal opportunity to provide input on the rehabilitation and future usage of this park. Coronado citizens are not being equitably supported when the results that will be used for decision-making are from a survey delivered to the inboxes of only a select group of citizens (i.e. members of the Coronado Cays HOA). I request that our City Parks and Recreation department survey all residents in order to acquire a true sample of residents of the entire City of Coronado.

If we want Coronado to continue to be a community of families, then we need to prioritize the needs of those families and children. Youth sports and use of the Cays fields as youth sports field is essential. Please do not limit or remove youth sports from the Cays parks.

Best,
Heidi Iversen