Friendship Park is the historic binational meeting place at the westernmost end of the U.S.-Mexico border.
It’s long been divided by a border fence, but now U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has begun work on newer, higher walls.
“Construction is beginning (Monday) on the two thirty foot walls that will — unless something happens to stop them — be stretched across the face of Friendship Park,” said John Fanestil with Friends of Friendship Park.
His group had successfully lobbied for a pause in construction last summer. At that time, CBP's plans called for eliminating the gates at Friendship Park that allow families on both sides of the border to meet.
CBP spent several months collecting public comment, and last month released a revision that still drew objections.
In a statement to KPBS News, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said its work will provide much-needed improvements and:
“... will allow visitors on the U.S. side to access the park, once construction is complete ... (Friendship Park) has been closed for many years due to the condition of the existing fencing.”
Fanestil sees the construction a huge step back for the park's ability to bring people from both sides of the border together.
“The construction of a 30-foot wall to replace that 18-foot fence will eliminate the views into the park and many people will arrive down there without ever realizing there’s a public meeting place at all,” Fanestil said.
Friendship Park has been closed to the public on the U.S. side of the border since 2019.
Replacement of the fencing is expected to take six months.
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