> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # All sides duke it out; boxing ring survives - URL: https://www.smdp.com/all-sides-duke-it-out-boxing-ring-survives/ - Published: 2002-01-25T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-22T23:58:46.000Z - Author: Carolyn Sackariason - Tags: local, Pico, #archive-import *Park’s outdoor market wins fight in final round* The farmer’s market and the boxing ring will remain staples of Virginia Avenue Park. City officials put an end to a decade-old debate this week when they approved the estimated $8.2 million Virginia Avenue Park expansion. The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday listened to more than four hours of testimony from citizens, mostly from the park’s neighbors who live in the Pico and Sunset Park areas. They have picked apart the proposal for the past 10 years but there were supporters of the expansion, as well. In the end, the council voted 6-1 to approve the expansion of the park from 5.8 acres to 9.5 acres. The park is bordered by Virginia Avenue and Pico Boulevard, between 21st and 23rd Streets. It will have a youth and community center, basketball courts, a wading pool, an outdoor pavilion, more parking and more open space. Councilman Bob Holbrook cast the dissenting vote because the plan doesn’t allow for enough green space, which is sorely lacking in the city, he said. The hotly contested idea of moving the popular Saturday farmer’s market to Santa Monica College to utilize more park space failed. The council ultimately decided to allow the market to continue, based on testimony from residents who said the market is a crucial element in keeping their neighborhood connected because it’s a meeting place on the weekends. But some argue that using public funds to support a private venture is wrong. Santa Monica Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown said that line of thinking is flawed because the park already hosts other private events that max out parking and the public’s access to the park. More importantly, the city is involved in many public/private ventures throughout Santa Monica, including the Third Street Promenade, which is definitely a public space surrounded by private enterprise, he said. Right before council voted on the issue, McKeown attempted to make a condition to the approval by asking that the Police Activities League boxing ring be removed. “I think boxing is inherently violent,” he said, adding the sport is not like football where hitting is part of moving the ball down the field. “But in boxing, the hitting is the core of the activity. I’m just not comfortable having a city facility where it’s teaching our children to hit each other. I think we should be trying harder to teach them non-violence.” > “I think boxing is inherently violent... I’m just not comfortable having a city facility where it’s teaching our children to hit each other.” — — KEVIN McKEOWN Santa Monica pro-tem mayor But Councilman Ken Genser said McKeown has misconceptions about the sport. “I just encourage Mr. McKeown to learn a little more about boxing,” he said. “I just hope you broaden your perspective.” Genser took boxing as a child, which taught him to anticipate people’s movements and gave him confidence. Councilwoman Pam O’Connor also condones boxing because many men use that skill in special training for careers like the armed forces. The majority of the council vetoed the request, but Mayor Mike Feinstein agrees with McKeown. “I am similarly skeptical about the value of boxing in our society,” he said. Based on testimony, the council approved the controversial plan with several conditions such as analyzing the traffic before and after the expansion; that trees be lined between the park and the special event area; trees near the overflow parking must be maintained and a special turf is used for parking during the farmer’s market. Designers of the plan also will address neighbor’s concerns about noise emanating from the park, particularly from the pool. Consultants are preparing the schematics of the development and construction is expected to begin this fall. While the project is short about $4.3 million, the city is looking for way to cut costs by limiting improvements at the community center or completing the project quicker than the original two-year plan, said Karen Ginsberg, of the city’s cultural and community services division. If it were to be completed within 16 to 18 months, the city could save money through construction management and costs. With the city facing a multi-million shortfall and capital improvement projects expected to be put on hold, McKeown said Virginia Park won’t be one of them. The project has accrued money over time with funds allocated to it each year since the properties were purchased 12 years ago. “This is something that was already funded,” McKeown said. “We are moving forward and we tried very hard to listen to everybody’s concerns.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/012502-01_01.jpg) Virginia Avenue Park will go through a transformation beginning this fall. (Photo: Carolyn Sackariason/Daily Press) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 25, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/012502.pdf?ref=smdp.com)