READERS’ EDITORIAL: SAVE BALBOA PARK: COUNCIL TO VOTE MONDAY ON DESTRUCTIVE PLAN

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By Jeanne Brown, Co-president, League of Women Voters of San Diego

July 7, 2012 (San Diego)--Monday afternoon, July 9, the future of Balboa Park may be changed forever. At that time, the City Council will take testimony and debate the merits of the Plaza de Panama proposal. While the central purpose of this proposal is to remove cars from the Plaza de Panama, which has nearly unanimous support, this particular plan is unnecessarily aggressive, disruptive and expensive. How ironic that we would celebrate the centennial  of our beloved park by ruining its historic beauty.

Because of the extravagant public relations effort and pressure from the Mayor’s office to circumvent certain approval procedures, the citizens of San Diego, the owners of this park, have been misled. Most do not realize that:

This project will introduce paid parking into Balboa Park for the first time.  Bonds for the parking garage will  be paid by parking fees which are estimated to be at least $5 for five hours. Who will park in the garage as long as free parking is still available?  “If there is insufficient net parking revenue to pay the annual debt service on the bonds, the General Fund must cover the shortfall.“  (San Diego Independent Budget Analyst - IBA Report # 11- 44)

The exquisite Spanish Colonial architecture and especially the iconic California Quadrangle entrance to the park will be compromised forever by the introduction of the destructive by-pass “Centennial” bridge, off the Cabrillo Bridge, and our National Historic Landmark designation threatened.

The tranquility and serenity of the Alcazar Garden and Palm Canyon, the ambiance that makes this park so dear to our hearts, will be gone forever due to the adjacent by-pass and new road to the parking garage.

Serious questions remain in regard to handicap access from the reconfigured Alcazar parking lot to the Prado.

ThThis Park was set aside more than a century ago by thoughtful visionaries as a permanent preserve to be held in trust forever for the purpose of a free and public park and for no other purpose.  Does the community want to sell out for $25 million or even $45 million?          

If you share our concerns, please attend the 2:00 pm hearing on July 9 at City Hall to express your opposition.

The opinions in this editorial reflect the views of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

 

 

 


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