Ben Lomond Park was once a popular attraction, especially because of its swimming hole.
Ben Lomond Park was once a popular attraction, especially because of its swimming hole. But that hole shut down in 2003, when state officials ordered the county to stop building the dam that resulted in the swimming hold. A dance floor and basketball hoops weren’t enough to draw crowds, so now the park is home mostly to teenagers lookingto score with both a partner and pot.
But that may soon change. Proposition 84 (2006) authorized more than $5 billion dollars in bond funds for water protection projects and park improvements across the state. County leaders want $1 million of that to protect Ben Lomond. Much of that money would be used to build a salmon ladder, and that, in turn, would make it possible to recreate the old swimming hole.
County officials argue that the park deserves the money because Ben Lomond is otherwise considered “park poor.” Then again, the state is poor too, and faced with a $20 billion deficit. Renovating Ben Lomond Park may be a welcome perk for the county, but faced with a $12.9 million deficit that could lead to fewer policemen and firemen, county officials will have to decide where the park stands in terms of priorities. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
