EDITORIAL:After vote, time to work together

On a day of narrow wins across the country, Huntington Beach on Tuesday had its own divided race: Measure T, which as of Wednesday morning with most votes counted had won a narrow 50.8% victory. In more graphic terms, the vote to allow construction of a senior center in Central Park claimed 22,824 yes votes to 22,105 no votes. Out of 45,000 votes, just 700 separated the two sides.

Given the vitriol of the campaign, it is not surprising that the results would be so close and, by extension, so divided. Opponents were vehemently against allowing any construction in Central Park. Supporters, including some who long have fought any more development in the park, pointed out that the land picked for the center is barren now and would be put to its best use by becoming home to a new senior center.

Now it appears likely that that center will serve the city’s quickly growing senior population. The question is, can the two sides put behind them the nasty campaign rhetoric, the alleged theft of signs and the accusations about lying that have dominated Huntington Beach’s political landscape for the past several months?

There is reason to hope they can. At the center of the debate are two members of the City Council: outgoing Mayor Dave Sullivan (from the yes on T side) and Councilwoman Jill Hardy (a Measure T opponent). These two go back far beyond this bitter campaign and have long been political colleagues — most famously as core supporters of the city’s landmark Measure C campaign that now protects Central Park and Huntington’s beaches.

Though they have been opponents in recent months, now is the time for Sullivan and Hardy to lead the city forward and ensure that the best senior center is built with the least damage to the park and its surroundings.