RESIDENTS RALLY FOR PARK BOND.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

About 50 Santa Clarita residents turned out Sunday near the proposed site of the Santa Clarita Central Park and Sports Complex to rally support for Proposition A.

If approved by voters Nov. 5, the legislation would garner $9 million for Santa Clarita Valley park projects, including the proposed $2 million, 130-acre park and sports complex.

``This is something that is desperately needed in the Santa Clarita Valley,'' said Esther Feldman of Citizens for Safe Neighborhood Parks, who helped write and qualify Proposition A for the ballot. ``We're so crammed, there's literally no space to play here.''

Dubbed the Safe Parks Act, Proposition A would raise $319 million in property taxes to improve, restore and develop regional and neighborhood parks, improve beaches, provide recreational alternatives for at-risk youth and protect natural lands throughout Los Angeles County.

The Santa Clarita regional park is planned at 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road just below the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant on land donated by the Castaic Lake Water Agency. The park would include a 5,000-seat amphitheater, 12 tennis courts, six soccer fields, a running track, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a gymnasium, eight basketball courts, two sand volleyball courts, and 50 acres for hiking trails, picnic areas and other activities.

``This has something for every age group,'' said Feldman. ``Everyone will benefit.''

Opponents to Proposition A say they have no problem with bigger and better parks, but say monies for the parks already were approved in 1992.

``We're not opposed to softball fields and soccer fields,'' said Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. ``But Proposition A was already passed 1992. It gave a 22-year commitment.

``They're coming back to us with arguments as if nothing was done,'' said Vosburgh. ``We feel we're being double-dipped.''

With the passage of Proposition A in 1992, the regional park and sports complex was earmarked to receive $800,000. But officials say that money only provides for one adult softball field, two multipurpose fields and two parking lots.

``We can't complete our plans without passing Proposition A this year,'' said Santa Clarita Parks and Recreation Manager John Danielson, who served as a volunteer at Sunday's event. ``That helped get us started but we want to add to that.''

Other Santa Clarita projects recommended for funding if Proposition A passes include the purchasing land for the Santa Clarita Woodlands; improvements to the Castaic Lake state and county recreation area; acquiring lands for watershed protection, wildlife habitat and open space; and improvements to William S. Hart Regional County Park.

Proposition A would cost the owner of an average single-family residence with a one-seventh acre lot a little less than $7 a year in property tax assessments.

CAPTION(S):

Photo: Bob Thompson locates soccer fields on a map at a rally in Sau gus in support of Los Angeles County Proposition A park bonds.

John Lazar/Special to the Daily News