Pasadena’s Desiderio Neighborhood Park Controversy Continues

In light of recent events, the city will install emergency fencing along the entire length of the Colorado Street Bridge. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

Emergency fencing to be installed along length of Colorado Street Bridge

By Gus Herrera

Desiderio Neighborhood Park: if you hadn’t heard the name prior to last week, I’m sure you have now. The 5.1-acre space, located underneath the Colorado Street Bridge on the former site of the Army Reserve Center, has been the subject of tremendous controversy – controversy that began with a proposed restroom facility and has now grown into a much larger question of public safety.

Although the restroom had been approved after floating around various City Council and commission meetings over the past few months (the restroom was even re-located by council as recently as July 23), the action once again picked up pace on Aug. 27 when dozens of residents packed the council chambers to demand that the item be re-assessed.

“Mayor, I stand here today for the fourth time in the past few months to talk about the Desiderio Park development,” said resident Vincent Montanelli, “the City Council is developing a park with a design that is not supported by many people in the city and almost everybody living nearby.”

Montanelli urged the council to re-consider an alternative design concept for the proposed restroom that would re-locate the facility further away from Arroyo Boulevard, in order to curtail individuals from congregating around the restroom following large Rose Bowl events. He even cited the fact that the area is listed as an “Uber hotspot” in the ride-sharing application.

Montanelli also argued that the alternative design, referred to as “Concept C,” would help address the danger and potential liability of suicide attempts from the overhead Colorado Street Bridge. Unlike the current design, Concept C does not propose a concrete hardscape underneath an area of the bridge where “60 percent of the suicide jumps have occurred over the past two years.”

“The first child to witness a suicide event will likely be eligible for damages,” warned Montanelli, “the uniqueness of the park’s site demands a better design than is being implemented.”

Another resident, Bill Knopf, provided even more graphic testimony:

“The suicides are continuing … I don’t understand how you can build a park and not have solved the suicide issue before you start inviting children to a ‘tot lot’ … whenever we hear a helicopter … we hope and pray it’s not a jumper. In the last couple months, a jumper landed outside of our garage … my wife could not leave … for five or six hours.”

The public testimony was picked up by local news media and what was previously a hyper-local neighborhood issue, became much larger overnight – and the news didn’t stop there.

The morning after this eventful meeting, a hiker discovered a body underneath the Colorado Street Bridge – Pasadena Police Lieutenant Jason Clawson revealed that the incident “appears to be a suicide,” but the department is still awaiting confirmation from the LA County Coroner’s Office.

A few days later, a local newspaper reported a 13-hour standoff between another would-be jumper and Pasadena police – fortunately a crisis intervention team was able to talk the suicidal woman back down to safety.

The following morning, the city announced that they will be extending the current temporary alcove fencing along the entire length of the bridge as an emergency measure. The fencing was first installed more than one year ago, in June 2017, as a temporary fix while the city works to develop more permanent mitigation measures.

“We have had four deaths from the Colorado Street Bridge this year,” wrote acting Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian, “across the country suicides are increasing and we’ve seen an increase here locally. While we are moving with a request for proposals to design new barriers, we cannot leave the status quo in place until that process is completed and new, permanent railing is installed.”

Derderian added that the additional fencing will hopefully start to go up sometime this week, but no official date has been set.

Councilmember Steve Madison, who represents the area in question (District 6), was able to successfully re-agendize the item, per his constituents’ request.

“I think you have to admit the reaction of this community has been pretty unanimous and powerful,” he said.

The item is expected to return before council on Sept. 18, per Derderian. Stay tuned.

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