PARK BOND COMES INTO PLAY; CITY VIEWS USES FOR $1.9 MILLION CUT.

Byline: Angela M. Lemire Staff Writer

Given the city's lengthy to-do list for recreational and open-space needs, it wasn't hard for local officials to envision spending their $1.9 million share included in the state's proposed park bond measure.

Topping their wish lists are projects waiting for funding, including future construction phases of the city Sports Complex in Canyon Country and Central Park in Saugus, beginning work on a planned river park and trail system in Canyon Country and the formation of a city agency to manage preserved open space.

Gov. Gray Davis on Tuesday signed a $2.1 billion bond measure that - if approved by a majority of state voters in March - would allocate up to $1.9 million for public parks projects in Santa Clarita, as well as $1 million toward the acquisition of land in the Santa Clarita Watershed area that includes Whitney Canyon.

``For all the needs we have out there, this certainly won't cover all of them, but it'll get us off and running on many of them,'' said Joe Inch, city park development coordinator. ``We have a whole series of unfunded parks projects that are planned out, and those would top our priority lists.''

The bond money would be allocated to communities based on population. Locally, it would provide up to $1.9 million for park maintenance and construction, as well as provide $1 million to the Santa Clarita Watershed Conservancy to buy land in the Whitney Canyon area. The canyon recently fell under state protection when incorporated into the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor.

Additionally, the total state bond package would invite all communities to apply for $71.5 million in competitve grant funds for historical preservation projects, and $15 million for the expansion of public youth soccer and baseball leagues, said Assemblyman George Runner, R-Lancaster, who secured local allocations into the state bond.

If voters approve the $2.1 billion package, it would be the first bond passed for state and municipal parks since 1988, as well as the largest park bond in California history, Runner said Tuesday during a press conference at his Valencia field office.

Runner sees the per capita distribution as one of the most important components of the state bond package.

``I felt suburban cities in urban counties had been treated unfairly. It was important that we evened things out among the communities,'' he said.

Inch agreed, noting that one of the main goals of the 12-year-old city continues to be the acquisition of three acres of public park land for every 1,000 residents. That quest became more challenging in recent years, he said, as the city's population exploded.

Inch, along with Councilman Frank Ferry, agreed that the unfinished Sports Complex would be among the first local projects in line to receive state bond money, along with Central Park and smaller, undeveloped parks that the city owns in Pamplico, Oak Springs and Towlsley canyons.

Councilwoman Laurene Weste, a former parks and recreation commissioner, on Tuesday called for the formation of an open space district, a public agency that would enable the city to acquire and manage preserved open space. She will pitch that proposal to the City Council at its next meeting Tuesday, she said.

``It's one of those things I've always believed would be critical to maintain and protect a healthy environment for the city,'' Weste said, and later noted additional benefits to the local tourism industry.

Although the city has retained open space in the past through partnerships with such groups as the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the establishment of an open space district would enable the city to hold preserved properties on its own, she said. The city-run agency would contribute to the acquisition of undeveloped land around the city's perimeter, such as Elsmere Canyon, she said.

``We've always envisioned a greenbelt around the city . . . we need to get into public holding as much as we can right now,'' Weste said.

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Photo: (color) Two workers mow a field in Central Park in Saugus on Tuesday. The park is high on Santa Clarita's wish list for improvements.

Shayn Dyer/Special to the Daily News