BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — For years a southeast Bakersfield neighborhood has been waiting for a public park and the wait is almost over.
City officials broke ground on the brand new Linnell-Brahma Park in southeast Bakersfield on Thursday.
“Punishment used to be going home, now punishment is going outside,” said Daniel Galvan, resident of Ward 1, the ward in which the park will be located.
Galvan says nowadays children rarely like to be outside.
But with Linnel-Brahma Park finally breaking ground, the community of southeast Bakersfield will have many reasons to enjoy the outdoors.
Especially the young ones.
“To be honest it was kind of very boring not having anything here because this area was just full of dirt. But now after 11 long years a park is finally being built, meaning that it’s going to be easier for me taking my brothers to a park nearby, instead of taking my car and wasting gas to other parks that are far away,” said David Juarez, another resident of Ward 1.
However, having a closer park comes with many benefits for residents.
“Granite point, the one on Ashe [Road], it was a drive yeah,” said Galvan.
Mental health also plays a part with a mural joining the Linnel-Brahma park, artist Jesse Moreno says art helps mental health.
“In my opinion, I think art doesn’t get as enough light as it should, I feel art is a super important thing for humanity,” said Moreno. “Especially for the mental, inspiration, even just innovating and thinking of something outside the box.”
An initial survey was made around the community asking what they wanted the mural to include.
With it, the artist included native components like poppies, paradise plants, the Kern River and more.
