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District staff outline options for Panther Park: maintenance costs, fencing and a proposal to wire the park for cameras
Summary
Facilities staff told the Perris Union board Panther Park (5.52 acres adjacent to Perris High) requires regular cleanup, has frequent vandalism and homeless activity, and costs about $110,000 annually to maintain; staff presented fencing options and an E-rate wiring proposal to enable cameras and network access.
District facilities staff presented a detailed overview of Panther Park — a 5.52‑acre site adjacent to Perris High School — and outlined safety, maintenance and cost considerations on April 16.
Facilities lead Hector told trustees the park is largely open to the community, has short perimeter fencing and frequent graffiti and homeless activity, and that the district currently spends roughly $110,000 per year on water, electricity, landscaping and grounds maintenance. "The park is not secured," he said, noting vandalism and safety concerns including syringes and trash that reduce the likelihood of regular school use.
Hector described options to secure the site: chain-link fencing with an approximate cost for two sides, ornamental (rod-iron) fencing used elsewhere in the district at a much higher price, and gate openers. He said a full ornamental solution would be substantially more expensive (staff cited a figure in the millions for a bespoke iron-fence retrofit) while an 8–10 foot chain-link fence would be materially cheaper and still increase security.
Board members asked whether restrooms were usable (Hector said they are maintained and usable), who owns the park (staff stated the district does), and whether cameras could be added; staff said wiring and cameras had been discussed and an agenda item would address running data and installing cameras. That item included an informational presentation on an E-rate wide-area-network proposal that would connect Panther Park to Perris High School via fiber and network switches, enabling cameras and controlled Wi-Fi access for students.
The E-rate option would represent an upfront district cost of about $48,000 (staff said that figure covers installation and a three-year subscription and that E-rate discounts would reduce the district share). Staff warned a funding window for E-rate discounts is closing and asked whether the board wanted to commit; trustees expressed mixed views, noting low existing usage of the park by students and the need to justify the investment if the district does not plan additional programming or fencing.
Trustees discussed alternative uses, including short-term partnerships or rentals to raise revenue, and asked staff to run title searches on district properties to confirm ownership and potential for development or alternative uses. No final decision to secure Panther Park or to accept the E-rate project was made that night; staff were directed to return more information as an action item.
