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Parents urge fencing of adjacent park to give Bridgeway Island Elementary students safe access to grass
Summary
Parents of Bridgeway Island Elementary students told the West Sacramento council that their school lacks on-campus grass for PE and recess, asked the city to consider temporary or partial fencing of the adjoining park, and offered PTO fundraising help; staff said they have communicated with the district and will follow up.
Parents told the Feb. 18 West Sacramento City Council that Bridgeway Island Elementary students do not have access to on-campus grass for PE or recess and that the adjacent city park is unfenced, creating a safety risk.
Amanda Batista, speaking for a group of parents and the PTO, said the school’s only nearby grassy field is Bridgeway Island Park, which is not fenced, and described children running into the street and exposure to potential public-safety hazards. "There's no grass to play on at recess. There's no grass for PE," she said, adding that on hot days students are left on asphalt and sometimes decline to participate because of heat.
Parents proposed a targeted partial fence that would secure a portion of the field for school use during the day and be opened to the public after school, citing Elkhorn as a local example where gates open after school hours. Parents offered to fundraise and requested the council place the issue on a future agenda so staff can coordinate with the school district.
City staff and council said they had existing communications with the district and that temporary fencing has been used at other sites; the city manager and other council members said staff would follow up with the superintendent and the parents to explore options and possible scheduling for a parks discussion.
No council action was taken during the meeting; staff committed to follow-up and to bring further details to the appropriate meeting or committee.
