Once again the warm weather has snuck up on us. Soon we’ll be experiencing those magnificent Sacramento nights. Many of us like to take an evening stroll along the levee after dinner with our spouse or partner. Some of us enjoy walking with our children and teaching about the various constellations.

Well that may be all in the past, if the River Park Neighborhood Association is allowed to push their proposal to build a steel, tubular fence along the top of the levee with an “exit only” turnstile.

At the neighborhood association meeting (4/18) the problems were laid out – groups of teens drinking, and carrying on at Paradise Beach, using foul language, driving out of the parking lot recklessly and sometime intoxicated and yes even a reported rape in the public bathrooms – right here in River Park.

Although summer weekends can draw a crowd, River Park still remains one of the most crime-free neighborhoods in Sacramento. Crime statistics do not support the assertion that we are plagued with a huge problem. While there are some appropriate measures that can be taken to minimize infractions, the fence proposal is not the answer. It is an extreme, ineffective, over-reaction.

Most of the problems mentioned occur in the day. The fence is designed to keep people from entering after sunset (all of us, no matter how peaceful our romantic walk may be). As for the reckless or drunk driving and the rape, the proposed fence would have no effect because these all occur outside of the barricaded area.

Aside from being a useless eye sore along our beautiful levee, the fence proposal uses up much needed resources that could be used for more productive solutions, such as: random police patrols, perhaps a life guard to keep order at the beach (and maybe save a life in the process), perhaps an attendant at the parking lot to stop the people from bringing alcohol down to the river.

We have laws against alcohol at the beach, rowdy behavior and of course, drunk driving. We need to enforce those ordinances instead of caging in our beloved natural river like it’s part of some artificial zoo exhibit. The fence proposal punishes us all for the sins of a few – and I mean a few. It’s easy to spot the troublemakers. The majority of the young people are just trying to enjoy the beauty of the river.

We criticize our youth for living behind their computer screens. We tell them to get out and get some fresh air. Now, we’re telling them to go somewhere else. The problem is - there is nowhere else. The river is one of the few natural spaces left. Don’t take that away.

River Park doesn’t own the river and we should not be able to block access any more than a neighborhood at one of the ends of the Golden Gate Bridge should be able to control access to the bridge.

The American River is a treasured resource for all of Sacramento and the Paradise Beach area is arguably the finest expanse of the entire river parkway. A decision to block that access is a decision that effects all of Sacramento. All neighborhoods should be given a chance to make their voices heard, not just the River Park neighborhood. Remember, it’s easier to stop the fence before it’s built than to tear it down after the fact. Stop the fence proposal!