Pomona : Lot to Be Converted to Park

A divided City Council voted this week to replace a 30-space parking lot with a small park, including a covered stage, a volleyball court and 12 parking spaces. The council voted 3 to 2 in favor of the project, which is estimated to cost $54,000.

Construction of the park, due to be completed by Nov. 1, paves the way for reopening a portion of Pomona Mall East to traffic. The 2-block stretch--known as College Plaza--has been closed to cars since the pedestrian-only Pomona Mall was built in the early 1960s.

Councilman C.L. (Clay) Bryant proposed earlier this year that the street be opened at the request of business owners in the mall. But officials of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific opposed the idea, arguing the roadway was the only place for students to congregate between classes.

With the council split on Bryant’s proposal, Councilman Mark Nymeyer--the swing vote--suggested as a compromise converting the parking lot next to the college to a park.

Mayor Donna Smith and Councilman E.J. Gaulding, who had opposed opening the street, voted against Nymeyer’s proposal. Smith said the plan will saddle the city with liability for the reopened street area and maintenance costs for the new park.