Here’s something you don’t hear about every day:
A proposal has been made for a new Planned Parenthood facility in Fontana, and even though the approval process is in the very early stages, the project has already generated much controversy.
Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) wants to establish the facility on the northeast corner of Sierra and San Bernardino avenues.
“The project is currently under staff review,” said Monique Carter, the City of Fontana communications and marketing manager, on June 6. “At present, no definitive hearing date has been determined.”
“Fontana is a medically underserved community, and it’s important to ensure that residents can get comprehensive health care,” said Nichole Ramirez, the senior vice president of communication and donor relations for PPOSBC.
However, because abortion is one of the services provided by Planned Parenthood, a large protest against the facility was held on June 2.
Hundreds of people, most of them from local churches, walked down city streets to the site of the proposed facility. Many of the marchers from St. Joseph Catholic Church carried anti-abortion signs, some of which said “Let God Plan Parenthood” and “Pray to End Abortion.”
Fontana resident Kimberly Chavez, an organizer of the simultaneous “peaceful pro-life prayer walk” that originated at Bethel Christian Fellowship, said she had multiple abortions when she was younger.
“I regret them severely,” she said. “I know that I’m forgiven and set free, and I just want to prevent them from happening to any other young women who might be facing a choice.”
At the same time as the march, a small number of pro-choice advocates also gathered at the location on the busy intersection to express their views.
“I am here to stand for Planned Parenthood,” said Britney Gomez-Landeros, a Fontana resident. “Abortion is a human right.”
Even though the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, abortion is legal in most circumstances in California.
