Residents Will Protest City’s Plans for Park

Hal Solomon plans to tell the City Council about his 95-year-old neighbor at the Oasis Mobilehome Park who still whistles when he waters his roses.

Pat Solomon plans to tell them about the dozens of elderly Oasis residents whose lives are structured within the confines of the park.

They congregate daily to play cards in the meeting room, exercise with walks through the streets, socialize with neighbors and shop at nearby retail centers.

After months of waiting, the Solomons and more than 100 other residents of the seniors-only park are expected to argue tonight against the city’s controversial plan to buy their coaches and the 12-acre park to make way for an entertainment center.

Meeting as the redevelopment agency, council members are expected to approve an agreement with Westrust Asset Management Corp. for the development of the site, located on the southwest corner of Harbor Boulevard and Chapman Avenue.

The plan calls for the city to purchase the mobile home park and neighboring retail center, including Belisle’s Restaurant, to make way for the entertainment center.

City Manager George Tindall said about $6 million has been earmarked for the buyout and relocation of residents.

Pat Solomon manages the park for her 80-year-old parents, who own the lease on the land.

She said that despite the city’s efforts, there aren’t comparable living arrangements in Garden Grove for her tenants, most of whom are more than 70 years old.

Council members recently approved a relocation study that indicated there are adequate apartment and mobile home park vacancies in town.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Community Meeting Center, 11300 Stanford Ave. Information: (714) 741-5100.