Parks and Recreation

Youth council member who said cutting parks and rec harms families, seniors, and youth first jobs, and that the city's future depends on giving young people opportunities.

Nine-year aquatics and rec employee who warned cutting recreation will drive families to Yucaipa and Palm Springs, as happened when Beaumont made cuts.

Spoke about her two sons' first year in affordable city sports and begged the council not to take those opportunities from kids and families.

Senior center staffer who described 20 years of programs, said staff learned of cuts with little notice, and asked for transparency and fairness toward employees.

Youth council vice chair who warned cuts push disadvantaged kids toward crime, asked where accountability for the fiscal mess lies, and criticized new police charges for Stagecoach Days.

A lifelong resident and school district employee who called the parks-versus-city question a false binary and asked the council to overturn every rock before gutting frontline services.

Said cuts to parks are unavoidable but asked the council to decide exactly how much — a third, half, or all — of the roughly $2.2M to save.

City employee who described how rec staff used demographics to win grant funding for the East Side's Roosevelt Williams Park and warned the cuts are about people, not a budget line.

27-year resident who asked why residents are paying the consequences for a crisis they didn't cause and pleaded to keep parks and rec open.

Community center lifeguard since 2002 who described parks and rec as the stepping stone that gave local teens their first jobs and work experience.

Former recreation leader who said the city is disadvantaged, families from Banning, Beaumont, and Yucaipa rely on day camp, and staff should be asked how to keep programs alive.

Recreation leader who called council comments hypocritical — asking what sacrifices the council and police are making while staff lose jobs and some on the dais worry about their own health insurance.

A 37-year former city HR/risk management director and current Parks & Rec commissioner urged the council not to eliminate the department, warning about crime and lost programs for kids and seniors.

A Banning teacher asked the council to find a way to keep funding parks, pool, senior center, and youth sports, saying these are not luxuries.

Parks & Rec commissioner suggested cutting higher pay rather than jobs, and described the senior center and aquatic center as irreplaceable for kids and seniors.

Parks & Rec office specialist described the department as the heart of Banning and cited research linking recreation programs to lower crime and better senior health.

Longtime resident and teacher asked the council to reconsider parks and rec cuts, citing aquatics, Zumba, and the senior center, and closed with 'vote yes on Sunset Crossroads.'

Resident since 2021 said Parks & Rec is what makes Banning feel like home and offered to pay higher fees or donations to preserve programs.

Martial arts instructor at the community center said eliminating the program would be devastating for the students he's taught for seven years.

Parks & Rec commission chair cited huge numbers — 30,000 little league attendance, 10,000 Fourth of July participants — and asked where the community would be without parks.

Department program coordinator spoke as a resident, describing how programs serve youth, families, and seniors and asking the council to consider the people behind the programs.

Program coordinator of nearly 20 years said staff found out about the cuts through the report, described deep relationships with 80 seniors, and demanded the council have a good plan for the people they serve.

Recreation manager of 17 years thanked the community for its support and clarified the department has only ten full-time positions running all programs.

Cited 23,000 pool visits last year and 9,000 senior meals, called Parks & Rec the department residents interact with most, and urged alternatives to a 94% cut.

Single mother said the programs have been a foundation for her family and urged the council to hold responsible officials accountable rather than cutting programs and jobs.

Resident and youth club organizer said cuts would make it hard to keep his Gladiator club running and asked the council to make correct decisions and consider fees.

Born-and-raised resident credited Parks & Rec after-school activities and volunteering with preparing her for college and connecting generations.