Join the cause on Facebook.
Sign the petition with your fire ring stories. Find the latest news and post your comments on our Blog. Fire rings saved at Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach See the article in Corona Del Mar Today We can do this too. E-mails, phone calls, and a little help from the California Coastal Commission. Fire pits to be removed in 2010
Update 11/26/09Mayor Sanders has announced the "final elimination" of the fire pits in the proposed 2010-2011 budget. The city council is considering the "final elimination" on December 2nd and again some time later in December. Call now. Really, their staff will politely answer the phone and take your comment. Follow the link to City Hall Contacts. We are firing up again...expect news soon. Here are the links: Union Tribune article Press Release Budget Proposal Update 11/8/09
Union Tribune columnist Michael Stetz has posted an update on the City's fund raising efforts for the fire pits. It looks like the city will have its way and the fire pits will be removed. Really pitiful, actually. Update 7/12/09 Union Tribune columnist Michael Stetz has posted a column on the City's fund raising efforts for the fire pits. Donate money The city of San Diego has set up a web page soliciting individual credit card donations to keep the fire pits alive: http://www.sandiego.gov/philanthropycenter/opportunities/firepit.shtml The site claims that the city will refund your money, on request, if they don't raise enough cash to save the fire pits. (note that Save the San Diego Fire Pits has nothing to do with link above. We are not collecting money.) Update 12/2008 FIRE PITS given a stay of execution...but only for 18 months!
An anonymous donor has donated over $250,000 to the city to keep the fire pits on the beaches until June 2010. We are forming a group to protect the fire rings and the other amenities of the San Diego shoreline. If you are interested in joining us, please send us an email at info@savethefirepits.com A big thanks to an anonymous donor!
plus a hundred thanks on the Union Tribune blog!
Update 12/15/08
Several groups organized over the weekend to stop the removal of the fire pits while the city rushes to get them out.
The Mayor is holding a press conference today at 10:00 AM.
If you haven't called the Mayor yet, do it now! (619) 236-6330
It's easy. Call
(619) 236-6330 and politely tell the person who answers the phone: your
name, your city/neighborhood, and that you want to save the fire pits!
You will likely be transferred to someone else to discuss it further, if you want.
The pits are used
by people from throughout the city and the region. They make the
beaches safer, contained hot coals that might otherwise be spilled on
the sand.
Update 12/11/08 part 2 There are now hundreds of irate comments to the Union Tribune article. The Mayor's office is now looking for sponsors of the fire pits. Seriously, if you'd like to get information on this, please call Jenny Wolff (619) 236-7002. My feelings are mixed on this, but I would cheer any sponsor who could keep the pits maintained at least until the new budget in July. If we can get through the off-season, we can make our case on the true value of the fire rings. Sponsorship would be awesome for a local favorite like Rubio's or a beach favorite like Coppertone or Hawaiian Tropic (slogan: "Don't get burned!"). Maybe Viejas or Barona could step up as a title-sponsor for Fiesta Island while a few merchants associations might like to sponsor their local pits. In general, I think the city should be paying for this. They could look at ways to reduce the maintenance time and redeploy the equipment operators part-time to the soon-to-be-cut sand grooming. The good reputation of our beaches is too valuable! Update 12/11/08
The Union Tribune has updated its article with more details.
Several groups are trying to locate funds and
volunteers, but the city says it wants $259,000 immediately or the pits
will continue to be removed. The city will not accept volunteers or
partial sponsorship. This gets more pitiful by the day.
Update 12/10/08 part 2
This morning, Mayor Sanders was interviewed
on "These Days" on KPBS. He stated that he supported a caller whose
organization wanted to adopt the fire pits. At the same time, the city
started removing the fire pits!
Update 12/10/08
The city began removing the fire pits today. What is the rush to remove them?
Update 12/6/08
We made a lot of friends at the Ocean Beach Christmas parade! Save The Pits!
Update: 12/5/08
Here is the New City Council.
Our job now is to round up
community support to make sure that the fire rings are stored and not
destroyed. The city has stored them in the off-season before.
---- We can stop this, but we must act now!
If you want to save the fire rings, you must phone or email the City Council (click to find your council member) and the Mayor's office (619-236-6330) NOW. It is too late for petitions. If you call during the day, it is best, but you can leave a message after hours.
Tell city hall to respect the voters wishes and maintain the Mission Bay fire pits.
Introduction
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