From My Notes: Not everybody against Linda Vista Park

This is something the association has been asking for since the school district made the decision not to reopen the school. There have been two or three meetings with the neighborhood sponsored by the city, and it is something we hope one day will be bigger, but these things take time and we consider this an important first step.

The two or three meetings are much more than what some of the other neighbors told me. Most of the opponents said they weren't aware of any meetings or planning for the park until either hearing of or receiving the invitation to the grand opening sent by the city in recent days. But most also admitted they worked full time or spent a lot of time away from home, and could have missed any announcements/invitations to meetings.

25 years ago it used to be that the same area that is being opened up on Saturday was accessible to the neighborhood (as open space), people got to run their dogs there, etc. But then the school district decided to make the school bigger, brought in bungalows which took up part of the area and they needed the rest of that area for students. So this is a big, important day.

Yonishiro then went on to acknowledge some of the concerns of neighbors about increased the increased traffic, loitering, vandalism, parking woes and other headaches a park might bring to the upscale neighborhood.

....some might have opposing views in the area, but it is not like a park with a big frontage on a main drag. These are issues you can't blame someone for raising. But hopefully it will mostly be a place of quiet contemplation, and possibly some dog training.

And while the following is NOT from my notes, it is from an e-mail I received from reader Betsy Nathane:

The new Linda Vista Park will be an asset to the community. The idea of turning the vacant school property into a PUSD and City joint-use park has been in the works for the last two years. During this planning time, there have been all -inclusive neighborhood meetings first at the library, then as the crowds grew the meetings were moved to the fire station, and finally two meeting were held at the Rose Bowl press boxes. Councilman Steve Madison sponsored these meetings with announcements being sent to all Linda Vista residents. Since the park will be one of the PUSD and City joint use parks, there will be park police security checking the grounds twice daily. The park will be open at dawn and closed at dusk.

The Linda Vista Park is not a destination park. It is a small neighborhood park which most visitors will reach by walking. The gate entrance on Linda Vista has been in use for decades and is the only entrance to the park and it allows for wheelchair accessibility. This park was designed to be a gathering place enjoyed by all and the majority of residents are excited about having a neighborhood park.