A place to live, work and play

Submitted by Kurt Galitski

With so much being said about Costa Mesa’s Parks and Recreation; should we keep it? Should we pass the responsibilities on to the Planning Commission? But, to go through this exercise to save $500 every other month seems to be a little silly when there are much bigger ways to cut costs to help balance the budget. While what we do on the Parks and Recreation Commission is not rocket science. We are a voice and a forum by which the athletic community and park users alike can and continue to be represented very well. I personally have spent over 8 years volunteering for local charities, And I currently sit on the Board of Costa Mesa United and the Costa Mesa Youth Sports Council. I was also on the Costa Mesa High School/ Tewinkle Field Task Force. Listen, my story is not unique, many of my fellow commissioners share very similar stories and passion for improving our parks and programs. But, challenging times have been something that we all will never want to get used to. It’s times like these that bring out the true character of a person and a community alike. That’s what makes me so proud to be an active resident of this great community, whether it’s as Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission or any one of the many charities I volunteer for; they all have one thing in common - Costa Mesa. It’s where I live, work and play… And I challenge you to do the same.

Within the latest pages of the Costa Mesa Community News and Recreation Review ( you can find it in an electronic versions on the city website) is an overwhelming menu of activities, classes and instruction that residents can take advantage of at very affordable prices. It’s a great opportunity to challenge yourself to take a class that you’ve been putting off for years... Invite someone special to join you, and, use this downtime in the economy to enrich your mind and soul with the people you care about most.

At the same time, this wonderful city of ours will be striving to do more with less just like you. The importance of community involvement is at an all time high. While no decisions are easy to make, your input and guidance is very important to us and appreciated. It may only take three minutes of your day to come down to city hall and speak before the City Council, or the Parks and Recreation Commission. But, having your voice heard is what can shape future decisions that we as a Council or Commission consider. It’s your city and your right, this is your opportunity to be heard.

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that resonate most, whether it’s learning to play guitar with your daughter, volunteering with your son to clean up a park, or simply having your voice heard at a Council or Commission meeting, you will have made a difference in your life, and for those around you. Together, we will have made a contribution to our community and for that we will all be richer.

Fall 2009 Recreation Guide complete brochure in Acrobat PDF format.