Commentary:
By Carmen Miranda
On a little corner northeast of Escondido, behind the Escondido Humane Society, near East Valley Parkway, sits 1.5 acres of land leased by the Charros de Escondido equestrian group from the City of Escondido. Local Mexican-American cowboys have gathered there for over 40 years to practice and enjoy charreadas (Mexican rodeos), music, food and family. This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation.
But an eviction notice was served on the Charros de Escondido by the City of Escondido that could have changed all that!
The idea of professional baseball team in Escondido suddenly was the talk of town and plans were being hatched to relocate a top minor league baseball franchise, from Portland, Oregon, to Escondido. The city officials were seeing stars.
The City spent more than $350,000 on various environmental and economic studies in preparation and the taxpayers were going to be on the hook for about $50 million or more of redevelopment money as a part of the deal to bring the team to the city.
There was one problem. The property that Padre’s owner John Moores wanted was where the city’s public works yard was located. The city needed a replacement site for the public works yard and they looked to the location where the Charros have been for all those 40 years. The city council saw it as a win-win; the city already owned it and the Charros would not have the political muscle to fight it.
A year ago I received a call from Sergio Contreras a retired U.S Marine who is passionate about the Charreadas in Escondido. He found that this sport was a healing activity for him after the many years of war. Sergio took me to the arena to meet the rest of the members.
The men had started taking everything apart right after the eviction notice from the city staff. I saw the pain in their eyes and felt their broken hearts when they spoke. The arena was their second home. Somehow I convinced the group to stay, to put everything back the way it was. I told them that we had to fight for this beautiful place and I told them that it was time to push back. That day I gave them hope, I believed that if we worked hard and organized ourselves we could save the Charros.
Former US Ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Julian Nava was one of the first people to take up the cause of the Charros, talking with the Charros and addressing the city council.
At one of our fundraisers, I met Merrillyn Carpenter who happens to be a volunteer for the Escondido Humane Society. Sergio and I explained what the city was planning to do with site and how we needed to stop the project. Merrillyn and I started meeting with the members of Charros, Ben Cuevas and Rick Paul.
We packed the council chamber with the Charros with many of their children dressed in their charreadas outfits. We begged the council not to evict the group and even got on to a future agenda. Even with a full room of residents and media outlets, our city council voted 4-1 to move forward on the eviction. Council Member Mike Morasco was the only council member that supported us that day.
The city had promised the Charros another location, but at the last moment officials told them that they had no other place for them.
They did suggest San Marcos and Valley Center. The group almost lost hope, but they still fought on. With the help of the new activist, we started enlisting the help of other groups in the area. The Charros had one on one meetings with various community leaders to inform them of the city’s plans to develop the nearby area into an industrial use property.
A newly formed group, the NorthEast Gateway Coalition composed of residents of Eureka Springs, Friends of Daley Ranch, representatives of the Humane Society and the Charros de Escondido began to organize. Some of the main supporters were Rick Paul, Mercedes Iglesias, Merrilyn Carpenter, Ben Cuevas, Steve and Karen Berrols. Through a common desire to leave the area as rural as possible and not to lose a valuable resource to the City’s greed; they started to make an impact on City Hall.
The City also released the details of the move of the public works department; it found that it would cost the City about $5.5 to $6 million for construction on the proposed site.
It all came together this last Wednesday’s, March 21st, City Council meeting. The Council Chambers were packed with 150 members of the Coalition which presented six hours of public comment and passionate pleas to leave the area as open space.
The City Council was embarrassed about the cost to taxpayers and the image of being unkind to a Latino organization. In the end, the City Council decided to back away from the eviction but it would not put it up for a vote to make it official. Mayor Sam Abed would only have a verbal assurance from each Council member to drop the plans.
The council is widely regarded as being anti-Latino in past years and some believe that with the Charro issue they would have been a chance to rebuild its relationship with the Latino community; it seems to be a lost opportunity. It does show that you can fight City Hall and win; sort of. No matter what, the Coalition will be watching this Council.
The Charros de Escondido are looking for donors that will help build their dream arena and help returning veterans, it will also include activities to work with youth in the community. One good thing that came out of all this is great friendships and a new Coalition of residents that care about the whole community. We all should be proud!
If you wish to help, you can contact me at Miranda269@juno.com.
