APOLLO PARK FATE MAY BE TIED TO CITY : CASH-STRAPPED COUNTY LOOKS TO LANCASTER.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer Cash-strapped Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County is looking at the possibility of transferring Apollo Park - and its $360,000 annual maintenance costs - to the city of Lancaster The City of Lancaster (2002 population: 133,914) is a local government district with city status in Lancashire, England. Its main town is Lancaster, from which it obtained its city status. Other towns in the district include Morecambe, Heysham, Slyne, and Carnforth. . With a proposed 1996-97 budget including $200 million in spending cuts, county officials are examining the possibility of transferring eight regional parks, including Apollo, over to municipalities. County officials are hopeful they can find the money to retain the parks. If that fails, the county will begin negotiations with the cities, said Sandra De La Riva, head of budget and management for county parks. ``We have not begun formal discussions with the cities yet,'' De La Riva said. Dedicated to the Apollo 11 moon mission astronauts, the park at 4555 W. Ave. G was opened in 1972, five years before Lancaster became a city. The 56-acre park features three man-made lakes, named after each of the Apollo 11 astronauts - Neil Armstrong, Edwin Armstrong, Edwin (Howard) (1890–1954) electrical engineer, inventor; born in New York City. A 1913 graduate of Columbia University, he studied aircraft detection methods during World War I. Aldrin aldrin (ôl`drĭn): see insecticides. and Michael Collins Michael Collins is the name of:
Popular with fishermen, the lake is the site of an annual youth fishing derby Fishing Derby is an Atari 2600 video game created by Activision programmer David Crane based on the sport of fishing. In Fishing Derby, two fishermen sit on opposite docks over a lake filled with fish (and a shark that passes through). that draws more than 2,000 youngsters. This year's derby was held Saturday. ``I would like to see Apollo saved. It really is an asset to this valley,'' Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts Frank Roberts may refer to:
Two years ago Lancaster and county officials talked about the concept of transferring the park, but nothing came of it, said Lyle Norton, director of Lancaster's Parks, Recreation and Arts Department. Before such a transfer could occur, the city would have to assess how much manpower would be required for maintenance; check the condition of the park to ensure there are no major problems; and check to see if there are any outstanding financial obligations attached to the land, such as requirements from state and federal grants the county received in the past. The city's total parks maintenance budget for 1995-96 is $2.3 million, covering eight parks and other facilities such as the Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery. Turning over parks to cities is not a new concept. Last year, Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, officials acquired Bouquet Canyon Park from the county for $1 and assumed responsibility for the annual $50,000 maintenance costs. When Lancaster incorporated in 1977, the city acquired Jane Reynolds, El Dorado and Mariposa parks from the county. The past transfers, however, involved small parks with relatively modest maintenance budgets, county officials said. |
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