Latest news with #LandParkCommunityAssociation
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Fatal shooting at Sacramento's William Land Park sparks calls for tighter security measures
Neighbors are calling for a park policy change following a fatal shooting at Sacramento's William Land Park. The shooting happened at night when the park is supposed to be closed, but neighbors say that's not always enforced. The male victim was found shot and killed inside a car on 13th Avenue inside William Land Park early Thursday morning. "It's shocking. It's not what we want to experience in any of our parks in Sacramento," said Kristina Rogers, president of the Land Park Community Association. Rogers said that the park has many family-friendly attractions, including the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town. "It happened in a very quiet neighborhood part of the park, right next to a children's playground," she said. "That's really hard for us to accept." Rogers' neighborhood organization has been asking the city to change its park security policy for years. The park closes to the public at sunset, but she said the metal gates that prevent cars from driving through are not closed and the public bathroom near the shooting scene is not locked after hours. "When you have open gates and open bathrooms at night when the park is closed, that seems to be the time when a lot of the criminal behavior starts to show up," she said. Jeff Strenk lives across from the crime scene and wants the nighttime park closure to be enforced. "If there were to be locked at night, I think that would go a long way towards improving security," Strenk said. Now, following this violent crime, it appears there is a change coming. A representative in City Councilmember Rick Jenning's office said that the park bathrooms will now be locked at sundown. We broke the news to Strenk. "That's awesome," he said. "I think that's a great idea, a great decision and probably long overdue." Sacramento police say no arrests have been made in connection with this shooting, and the name of the victim has not yet been released.
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Sacramento's Land Park Lanes could be spared as deeming it a historical landmark
SACRAMENTO — There's new hope that popular Sacramento bowling spot Land Park Lanes could be saved from the wrecking ball after a fire last year forced it to close. Ray Valdovino spent decades bowling at Land Park Lanes on Freeport Boulevard. He was practicing inside when the building caught fire in February 2024. "Within seconds, you could see the black smoke fill up," Valdovino said. "You couldn't even see the pins anymore." The suspicious blaze caused extensive damage, and last year, the owners filed for a demolition permit. Valdovino said it is a historic structure that should be saved. "I would love to see them reopen this place," Valdovino said. The bowling alley was built in 1960 and features a mid-century modern design. Land Park neighbors say it's been an important part of the community for generations. "This is a place where I used to bring my kids. We used to celebrate their birthdays here," said Kristina Rogers with the Land Park Community Association. "This is a big community hub." "It was just a fun place for everybody to go," said Matt King with the Chorley Park Neighborhood Association. "It's a really iconic piece to the neighborhood." Now there's an effort to designate the building a local historic landmark, which could help save it from being torn down. "Once it's gone, it's not coming back," King said. The city says the property is historically significant to local Japanese American, African American, and LGBTQ bowling leagues. "This was a place you could come to if you were a minority and you were welcome to bowl, whereas some places you were banned," Valdovino said. A historic designation would make it more difficult to demolish the building and would require approval of the city council. The East Coast-based owners were not available for an interview for this story, but a study they commissioned found the building is not eligible for listing as a historic landmark. Now, bowling fans are hoping to strike a deal and spare the alley from being bulldozed. "I would love to see future generations come and bowl here," Rogers said. Sacramento's historic preservation commission is scheduled to discuss the potential landmark designation at its meeting this Wednesday at city hall. "The community would come back and support it, I'm sure," Valdovino said.
