BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Just one week after residents voiced concerns over funding for Martin Luther King Jr. Park, city leaders are proposing a $3 million allocation for the park's revitalization as part of Bakersfield's upcoming budget.
The funding would help move forward long-discussed improvements at the East Bakersfield landmark, which residents say has been overlooked for years.
Jovon Dangerfield has spent the last several years working in the neighborhood through TYM4CHANGE, helping organize cleanups, youth programs, and community events around MLK Park. He says the physical condition of a neighborhood can send a powerful message to the people who live there.
"One thing they all had in common was that they were devoid of hope, and that it was a hopeless place, and that they agreed that they didn't feel very cared about," Dangerfield said.
"Maybe you feel like you need to grab your wallet or your purse or your pearls. That's the feeling. Now imagine you being three years old to 23 years old, and that's all you know, that's all you see, and that's all there is," Dangerfield said.
Dangerfield says investing in the park is about more than new amenities. He says it's about giving young people a sense of pride, ownership and hope for the future.
"When you're in a place that you feel no one cares about, you know it. And I think there is a lot of people who feel that way," Dangerfield said.
Community advocate DeVon Johnson says the funding debate is tied to what he sees as decades of disinvestment and challenges facing Bakersfield's Black community.
"We need to come together, need to come up with some solutions, some real feasible ones that's going to get our community on the right track," Johnson said.
Johnson says he welcomes the proposed investment but believes it should only be the beginning.
"For them to try to take it back, to restore our park, only the one black park, namesake park in this area, in this community. We're not going to tolerate that. Enough is enough already," Johnson said.
Despite their different perspectives, both men agree that investment in MLK Park matters. Johnson says the park can play an important role in rebuilding the community, while Dangerfield sees it as an opportunity to restore hope for future generations.
"I'm really hoping that we can win together through this principle, the practice of good old-fashioned love," Dangerfield said.
"But we're not done. And it's not irreparable. We're going to repair it, we're going to fix it," Johnson said.
The proposed $3 million allocation is expected to be considered as part of the city's budget adoption process later this month.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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