The City of San Diego is considering closing its lakes for an extra day each week to save approximately $200,000 as part of addressing its $258 million budget deficit, but the proposal has sparked opposition from local residents.
Tom Lowery, director of Friends of San Diego Lakes, says that fishing, boating and water sports have been family traditions for years at these lakes.
"We're only talking about $200,000. We're not talking about a lot of money," Lowery said. "It's a small amount of money, and we pay for the program, which is even more frustrating, right? We pay fees to access these lakes, and we pay for the program, so they should be self-sustainable. We just can't imagine where we can't find the money, it just doesn't add up."
Lowery compared these lakes to what the beach is to surfers or what a golf course is to golfers. He says the group had been in talks with the city council and believed they had their support after their vote on June 10, but now the future of these lakes remains uncertain.
Lake enthusiasts aren't giving up. They're hoping council members will find cuts elsewhere in the budget. Friends of San Diego Lakes planned to be at City Hall for the council vote on the closure plan.
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