We need a safe and accessible San Joaquin River Parkway now

With sadness, I read once again that another precious life, a brilliant young man Neng Thao, was lost in San Joaquin River. As a past board member of the San Joaquin River Parkway, I acknowledge the vision, dedication and the hard work of the board and the management.

However, I am grieved to see how inaccessible the river remains. After all, millions have been spent to create a parkway that is supposed to be for the benefit of people, as well as environmentalists, animals and plants. When are we going to have proper access to the river? A well-built road, parking lot and lifeguards?

Please don’t tell me we have Lost Lake, or other disguised accesses to the river. It is time for our community, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors and the Fresno City Council, as well as The Bee, to ask for more.

The vision of a safe and accessible San Joaquin River Parkway has been in the works for a long time and I believe that now is the time to make that happen.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 1:29 PM with the headline "We need a safe and accessible San Joaquin River Parkway now."