Community urges council to let Granite Park operator stay while appeals proceed

Dozens of Granite Park users, employees and community leaders urged Fresno’s elected officials on Thursday to let the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation (CVCSF) continue operating Granite Park while legal appeals and disputes proceed.

Speakers described the park as a lifeline for Southeast and Southwest Fresno neighborhoods, citing tournaments, jobs, youth programming, free events and food distributions. “This park brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds and creates an environment where everyone feels welcome,” said Genevie Barza, identifying herself as a Granite Park employee. Several parents, volunteers and former athletes described job opportunities and mentorship at the complex.

Board members and volunteers said the nonprofit invested millions of dollars and hundreds of volunteer hours to rehabilitate the site after it had been vacant and blighted for years. “Terrence saw the potential where others saw a liability,” Maline Frasier said, noting the nonprofit’s efforts to host free community events, meals and youth activities.

Speakers urged the council to preserve the operating partnership while the nonprofit appeals an eviction and ongoing litigation. “Allow CVCSF to remain in operation while we appeal the judge’s decision,” Tamara Ramos, a CVCSF board member, told the council. Several speakers warned that removing the operator would lead to lost jobs and end community programs; employees said dozens of staff could lose work.

City staff and the council did not take immediate action on the public comments during the hearing. Council members acknowledged the scope of the advocacy and said the matter involved pending legal proceedings; the agenda’s closed‑session minutes later show the city addressed multiple litigation items including an eminent‑domain settlement in separate closed session.

Background and next steps: the dispute between CVCSF and the city has produced litigation and an appeal. Public commenters urged a temporary accommodation to preserve operations and community programming until courts resolve the dispute or a transition plan is in place.

What the public said: dozens of residents and faith leaders, current and former Granite Park employees, youth coaches and nonprofit leaders described the park’s role providing recreation, jobs, tournaments and volunteer events that attract visitors and local economic activity. Several speakers emphasized that the park operates tournaments that bring hotel and restaurant revenue to Fresno.

Council response: officials thanked speakers and said they will take public comment and legal timelines into account; the city later reported a closed‑session settlement in another eminent‑domain matter but did not announce a change to Granite Park operations on the public record at that time.

Provenance: the Granite Park public comment sequence is recorded in consecutive public comment segments during the consent and public‑comment period, where dozens of speakers described operations, financial support and community benefits.