MAILBAG:

We too thank the Costa Mesa City Council for taking time to review the placement of a skate park carefully. The residents’ arguments against a skate park at Lions Park were overwhelming. In fact, there were only two or three speakers who spoke for establishment of a skate park at Lions Park.

Green space in this park has been taken away little by little over the years. A community center, a recreation center, a historical museum, parking lots, county library, fire station, all necessary activities for a city, have gradually taken much of the green space at Lions Park. The residents in this area have certainly been given more than their share of new uses for a public park. Green has gradually been overtaken by cement, building and new parking at an alarming rate until there is little green space left.

This park is an area of Costa Mesa that is seriously park deficient. The park is heavily used by residents using the barbecue area for family, friends and community organizations. Mothers and fathers bring their young children to the play lot. Child-care organizations and summer recreation schedules regularly use park areas for play and fun. Workers stop to eat their lunch at the park benches. Residents walk their dogs around the perimeter. Pickup games of baseball and soccer are played regularly during lunch and after working hours. Jogging, exercising and walking also regularly take place at all hours of the day. Permitted baseball and soccer games are regularly played at Luke Davis Field, one of the few lighted recreation fields in Costa Mesa. When it is not in use for permitted activities, the public enjoys use of Luke Davis Field for a variety of recreational activities.

We think the idea of putting a few smaller skate parks throughout parks in the city is a good one. Skateboarding is here to stay. It gets young people out of the house and participating in a beneficial activity. It is an individual sport that is inexpensive and is enjoyed by friends and family alike. That said, no residential areas of which we are aware want a large skateboarding park located near their residences. Noise problems, parking problem and law enforcement are part of the reason no residents want a skate park located near their homes.

Those residents who do not want development at Fairview Park have a good argument for keeping Fairview Park as open space. That doesn’t mean they should point the finger at other city parks and say the skate parks should be built near other people’s homes. The folks who live near Fairview Park don’t want the park located near their homes for the same reason other folks don’t want a skate park located near homes at other park sites.

Putting smaller skate parks in more locations away from homes seems to be the best answer to this difficult problem. The City Council is wise to find a fair decision for all. The placement of smaller skate parks throughout the city will give skateboarders a safe place to practice and ride.

DIANA and LU WALKER

Costa Mesa

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