MAILBAG - May 25, 2006

Senior center will not limit park use

Unfortunately, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation associated with the idea of putting a new senior center at Talbert and Golden West Boulevard immediately south of the Shipley Nature Center parking lot.

The area being sought for the senior center has no park amenities on it. No trees will be removed.

The size of the area being sought is five acres out of the 14 acres of undeveloped park land in that vicinity. Of the five acres, about one acre would be used for a single-story building footprint. About 2.2 acres would be for a parking lot area that will serve not only the senior center, but also provide additional parking for closer access to the developed parkland to the west. This will also relieve the parking lot pressure on Central Park Drive to the west of the park. The remaining 1.8 acres, about one-third of the area, will be used for patio and garden amenities as well as new trees and shrubs to blend in with the existing park horticulture to the west. It will not impinge into the existing developed park area.

We are mindful that the city park areas belong to all of the people of Huntington Beach. What this location will do is bring a bigger portion of the senior population to that area of the park for their use and enjoyment. After all, they are the ones, among others, whose tax dollars helped pay for the bond that provided for the park.

ROBERT O. DETTLOFF

President, Huntington

Beach Council on Aging

Huntington Beach

Why not several smaller centers?

The location that has been suggested for a senior center is too far from many of the seniors that it would support. I think a better plan would be to have three smaller centers within walking distance to areas where seniors are most likely to be. Florida Street, near Main, is one such area. I’m sure there are at least two or three more.

Many seniors, including my Mom who is 89, can only get around on walkers or motorized cycles. For that reason, walking distance to the centers must be of the highest priority.

Since any center building will be years in the making, I would like to see the city institute a senior crossing-guard program with either volunteers or paid staff. We should have two periods during the day when seniors could be assured of their safety to go shopping. One crossing location would have to be Florida and Main.

CLEM DOMINGUEZ

Huntington Beach

Center good idea, location not so much

I am in support of a new senior center in Huntington Beach. Although I am not a senior citizen, I have visited our current senior center at 17th Street and Orange on several occasions. There’s no doubt the current center is outdated and not large enough to meet the needs of our senior citizens.

The biggest question I have is one of location. The proposed site for a new center is in an undeveloped portion of Huntington Central Park. This location represents to some the last precious open space we have left in our city. Although some have characterized this open space as just a “dirt lot,” many of us would put a much higher value on it than just dirt. As I recently walked through the proposed site, I found it teeming with wildflowers, birds, squirrels and rabbits. It’s a peaceful escape from the bustle of the city and is enjoyed by playing children and entire families on a daily basis.

In a densely populated city of 200,000 people, open space is a rare thing, and once it is lost it will never be regained. Living in coastal Orange County, one must drive a great distance to get out of the city and experience true wild places. Because of this, many residents and visitors covet the few small pieces of open parkland that remain. We have already lost a large portion of our passive open space to our new sports complex. Now the city is proposing to eliminate even more with a new senior center.

While a new senior center is much needed for our community, giving up a large piece of valuable Central Park open space is too high a price to pay. City leaders, I urge you to reconsider this decision and find a more suitable location for our new senior center.

RICK FEE

Huntington Beach

City needs a better senior center

It makes sense to build a new senior center in Huntington Central Park for a multitude of reasons, the NIMBYs notwithstanding. Having visited virtually all of the senior centers in the county, I contend the one in Huntington Beach is totally inadequate and an embarrassment for a city of its size with the current predominant socio-economic status of its taxpayers.

Ultimately, it must and will be replaced to meet the needs of the continually increasing number of senior citizens. It seems only logical to consider placing it on property already owned by the city.

M. PATRICIA LATTIMORE

Huntington Beach

Proposed park area gets too much use to lose

I was appalled to read the article on the proposed senior center smack in the middle of Central Park. I thought the purpose of a public park was for all of the people of the city who pay the taxes to walk, run, picnic and walk their dogs. When I discovered that park I thought I died and went to heaven. There is no place in Huntington Beach more beautiful and untouched, and I feel safe there ? unlike the park area next to the library. Why not build the center there? Drain the algae-ridden swamps there where there is double the acreage available.

There have also been many Boy Scout events and school track and cross-country events my sons have participated in over the years at the exact location of the proposed center. This is an extremely disappointing situation for all the people who enjoy the peaceful beauty of the park exactly as it is.

YVONNE DE SHIELDS

Huntington Beach

Senior center site now is perfectly fine

Huntington Beach has a perfectly good senior center already, adjacent to Huntington Beach High School. No one is anti-senior. We are against further developing Central Park and watching the city again throw money at unnecessary building when what they are proposing is already there. The current senior center is much more accessible to public transport, medical facilities and shopping. And there’s nothing wrong with it.

CORINNE DEKKER

Huntington Beach

Surely there’s a solution to senior center question

A senior center should be built on the east side of Golden West Boulevard in the under-utilized northern perimeter of the park. The land is paid for, near the bus line and flat. Build a multilevel parking structure in the existing Slater parking lot, preventing parking lot sprawl. Redesign the senior center to blend in with that part of the park. It may be necessary to fill in one swamp by the fence. Walk over there and see what you think. I’m not a senior, but I believe we can come up with solutions for a multi-generational park.

PATRICIA KREAMER

Huntington Beach