Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District’s board is creating a master plan for the park with the public’s help. Photo/Jessie Marchesseau

By Jessie Marchesseau

MEYERS – After years without anything even resembling one, Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District has put together a master plan for Tahoe Paradise Park. Well, at least a draft of one.

The plan sets forth a number of goals and objectives not only for the purpose of managing the park more effectively, but also making it possible to apply for grants. The board presented this draft to the public at a workshop on Thursday evening where board members were looking to get input, reactions and suggestions from the community.

Large yellow posters stating the seven main goals and specific objectives relating to each were plastered on the walls of the upstairs meeting room of the California Conservation Corps. building.

The main goals are as follows:

1.     Increase community involvement, activities, and programs

2.     Conserve, protect, and enhance the park’s natural and human-made features

3.     Enhance park maintenance and appearance

4.     Enhance park governance and management

5.     Enhance financial accountability and transparency

6.     Increase revenue

7.     Establish a project development and implementation plan.

Beneath the posters were tables covered with sheets of paper, one titled with each of the 60 objectives and room for comments to be written in below.

However, with only about a dozen people in attendance March 3, the number of people offering input was significantly less than board members had anticipated and by the end of the evening, many sheets remained blank. But even with the meager turnout, it did appear both sides of the issue were represented, though perhaps not the middle ground.

Mark and Jenny Goldstein who live about a block and a half from the park attended to share their sentiments against making any changes to the park. They are concerned that the surrounding infrastructure, specifically the roads near the park, is not in good enough condition to accommodate increased traffic in and out of the park.

They also cited lack of parking, which forces cars onto nearby streets, and noise issues as reasons to curb increased usage of Tahoe Paradise Park.

“We’re trying to keep people out of our neighborhood, not bring them in,” Jenny Goldstein told Lake Tahoe News.

Mark Goldstein concurred, explaining they chose to live in Meyers because of its small-town, quiet atmosphere. If they wanted to see a band or experience traffic, they would go into South Lake.

He wants the park to stay just as it is, and feels most of the changes the board is proposing are simply a waste of time and money. He thinks erosion control, forest thinning and making the bathrooms open to the public would be the best uses for park funds.

Not everyone at the meeting, however, shared this attitude for leaving the park as is. John Dalton, a Meyers resident who also grew up in Meyers, remembers playing at Tahoe Paradise Park as a child. He would like to see it returned to what it was back then.

“I think they’re on the right track, just trying to get people back in the park,” he told Lake Tahoe News. “I don’t see anything I oppose; I’m sure there’s more that could be added,” he said of the plan’s goals and objectives.

Nina McLeod also supported the draft plan with no objection and is already planning to volunteer her time helping with implementation. She is especially fond of the idea to encourage more kids to fish in the park, especially fly fish.

“To me, it’s all good. I think the community can really benefit by being able to get out there and get to the beach,” she said.

McLeod also pointed out that even though Lake Tahoe is very close, it can be crowded in South Lake and the beaches full of tourists. Tahoe Paradise Park is “our own place,” she said, a place for people in Meyers to enjoy a day at the lake and on the beach without the crowds.

None of these attendees had opinions to offer about any of the specific goals or objectives in the plan. Rather, they had overall feelings about the plan as a whole, either good or bad. Board member Peter Nelligan said the only item he’s specifically had people comment on is the objective to start allowing dogs in the park. While the majority seems to be in favor of dogs in the park, with clean-up baggies available, others are still adamantly against it.

Some of the other objectives include building a sand volleyball court, developing a community garden, creating a park website, ensuring facilities meet ADA standards, protecting the natural environment and reviewing the master plan on an annual basis.

Nelligan said the park has been “very isolated and underutilized” for years. He is hoping the implementation of this master plan will once again make “Meyers’ best-kept secret” a family-friendly place for the community to gather and enjoy the outdoors.

The board is anticipating approval of the master plan at the next TPRID meeting on March 31, but they still hope to gather and address more community feedback in the meantime. The plan may be viewed online. Comments and suggestions may be emailed to TahoeParadisePark@gmail.com.