New proposal aims to clean up Laguna Grande Park in Seaside

A nonprofit organization is launching a new campaign to revitalize Laguna Grande Park in Seaside.

The park is supposed to be a healthy environment for the entire community, but it’s long had issues.

The local chapter of the National Audubon Society says its time to put side the temporary fixes and get to the root of the problems.

The proposal by the Monterey Audubon Society calls for creating access points and preserving wildlife. The park was designed as a multiuse recreational park but it’s also meant to be a habitat for wildlife.

“Over the years it’s just been kind of let go. there’s been no management. and illegal camping has become really, really bad inside the park,” said Chris Hartzell, the organization’s vice president.

In the last few months, two bodies were found at the park, and it’s also been the site of multiple fires that had threatened nearby neighborhoods.

Hartzell says the conservation organization is launching a campaign to give the entire area a facelift.

City officials in Seaside say illegal encampments have become an increasing problem at the park.

The $20,000 project being proposed is anticipated to create better access trails on the 11-acre property that stretches through Seaside and Monterey.

“We turn those basically into public access,” Hartzell explained. “We’d provide picnic tables and sitting benches, and educational signage.”

He says it would take both cities to get on board to help foot the bill and get the work done. The Audubon Society would pay for a lot of the amenities, but city agencies would need to help with establishing the trails and other efforts.

Hartzell also has a background in public safety, so he’s no stranger to the types of problems that have arisen at the park. He’s been a long-time fire captain in the area, according to his bio on the Monterey Audubon Society website.

The organization has started an online petition calling on the city of Seaside to make this project a priority.

They will be matching donations from the community until the goal of $15,000 is reached by February 1, 2015. All donations towards this campaign are tax-deductible.

Monetary donations can be made to:

Monterey Audubon Society
ATTN: Laguna Grande Park
PO Box 5656 Carmel, CA 93921