By Jon Linney
On Saturday January 10 we cleaned up the future walk-in park site at Avenida de Portugal and Scott Street. Gone are the dead acacia trees and tumbleweeds that represented a fire hazard. Gone are the cans, bottles and other urban trash. Now absent are the years of construction debris: steel girders, cinder blocks, blocks of concrete, dumploads of gravel and once-molten asphalt.
A dangerous blind curve along Canon Street is now much more visible thanks to our tree pruning. Water has been taking its toll on the park site. The cleanup also involved smoothing the surface to slow or stop the erosion while money is raised and planning done to develop the park.
Burtech Pipeline provided the heavy equipment and supplies necessary for the cleanup, a services donation worth $15,000 by their calculation. Actually, it would have cost us $30,000 to replicate.
The “we” in the cleanup were residents living close to the park, Point Loma High School students and three members of the Peninsula Community Planning Board acting as civic volunteers.
This is a pivotal moment for the park. Now there is something tangible to see, a blank canvas for the features the public wants. One possibility is a passive walk-in park with trails, water-thrifty plants, signboards celebrating the Portuguese neighborhood’s historic accomplishments.
The response was terrific. Neighbors meeting each other for the first time. Motorists giving us thumbs up, even as we looked like a county probationary team in our fluorescent shirts. Residents stopping by to ask, “How can I help?” Neighbor Mary Harder serving platters of the world’s best chocolate chip cookies. A commercial pilot/neighbor there after only three hours’ sleep.
Even three-year-old Reed Langford, in a pocket physically removed from any machinery , picking up trash under his mother’s tutelage.
Please help us spread the word about the cleanup and the park . Stop by and check our progress – and the view! If you want to attend the Peninsula Community Planning Board meeting (6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, Point Loma Library on Voltaire) to voice your support, it would really help us.
What’s next? We need to find a nonprofit sponsor. We’re talking to Point Loma Foundation and Point Loma Association, with fingers crossed. We have a financial custodian in mind. We plan two public workshops this year. Then planning board member Bruce Cook will work his (retired) landscape architect magic.
We’ll keep you posted along the way.
Special thanks to Matt Devol, Mary Harder, Scott King, Lindsay Langford, her son Reed, Mike McConnell, Tony and Marcos Daskalakis, Cindy Ryan, Burtech Pipeline’s Rocky Anderson a BIG thank you to Jeremey and his crew, who along with us, were the boots on the ground. Thanks also to former Interim Council Member Ed Harris and aide Rollin Bush, Andrea Da Rosa of United Portuguese S.E.S., principal Hans Becker of PLHS and Harbortown Pub. Thank you for everything!
Together, we can make a difference.
{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you Jon and all the volunteers for their hard work. This park will be a wonderful addition to our neighborhood. Let’s keep the momentum going.
Is this location description correct, Avenida de Portugal and Scott St.? The article mentions Canon St., which was where I thought this was somewhere downhill from Talbot St.
Good eye Geoff. I missed the Scott street error too. It is at the end of Ave. de Portugal and Canon st runs along side of it.
Kudos to everyone who spent the better part of their Saturday cleaning up this vacant lot
that has long been a dump and a staging area for construction equipment. Point Loma needs more park space (about 600 more acres worth) and although this is a drop in the
bucket it’s an honerable effort by people who care about their community!
Special thanks to Jon Linney and Don Sevrens who also serve on the Peninsula
Community Planning Board.
PS anyone wanting to join the planning board please visit our website at http://www.pcpb.com
A half dozen seats will be available in our next election this coming March.
Onward and upward – Mike Ryan PCPB Vice Chair and election committee chair.
Website is not available
States domain is for sale.
Thank you .
I think that helps everyone, Korla. Ave. De Portugal dead ends just past Willow St. where it was never tied into Canon. I’m assuming that anyone who wants to stop and have a look would have to park at the end of Ave. De Portugal and walk in as there is no parking along Canon St.
The address is not correct. It is canon st.
Jon
Who actually owns the property? Just curious. Last I heard, there were some ownership issues. Has Parks & Rec signed up?
Awesome! We all know it’s Cañon St. Right?
How can they just arbitrarily do a “Civic Clean up without notifying the entire neighborhood as to their plans? There are numerous neighbors who do Not want a pocket park there due to increased traffic on Avenida de Portugal as well as encroaching on the environment of the neighborhood.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It was not broken.
Why all the bother now? One has to wonder Who are he very few are that are gunning for this and what is their reason? They do not live there so they do not care how a small park will adversely affect the neighborhood with loud music, cigarettes, alcohol, transients,vehicles, motor scooters and dirt bikes. All of these concerns and more have been dealt with over the years by people who once lived in that neighborhood who no longer live there. There are other pocket parks around that area of Point Loma that do not even get used except by the people dealing and selling drugs there. I have seen it.
Where were all the do gooders in recent past years when we organized a small clean up up in his field area and the Alpha Project helped for a very short bit cutting large branches. I wonder why all the bravado now? That area has been kept clean by a very few neighbors who care for that area.
Could it be that someone wants that property for themself under the guise if cleaning up for a park ? People, do your homework. Something is very fishy.
Where was the permits for All the earth moving and the tractor/bobcat ?
Nothing good will come if 2-3 people who want to make a park. There is nothing good for the people that live in the immediate vicinity of this park except more traffic on a small, narrow street, more riffraff & more garbage, loud music, horns, loud dirt bikes, fire hazards from cigarettes. Some of the other neighbors would be up there using the area for target practice with BB guns breaking bottles until a concerned few neighbors reported all the broken glass and shooting of firearms there.
Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.
Oh, that’s right, you won’t be bothered, You don’t live right by the park.
You are a landlord who doesn’t live there or a neighbor 2-3 blocks away who doesn’t have to put up with All the mentioned problems. Why now all of this interest ?
There is more to this than we have been told.
This small area needs to just remain wild and not made into a space that very few want. Why was there no Public Notice of this “cleanup” if all is legit ?
Just wondering what type of permit was obtained and by whom ?
It really was not all that bad there except for some gravel and a few scrubs that provided somewhere for birds to rest. It certainly would not have cost 25 K to clean up.
Way over exaggerated . Did you get the old wooden couch down from the top that was under the scrubs ? Probably not.
Buyer beware. Someone wants this property to build on under the guise of a park.
We are watching.
Dear Susie,
Let me address your concerns one at a time:
1. You mention increased traffic – Where? As you mentioned the street is a small
narrow short dead end – so tell me where will this increased traffic go? Where will
it park – last time I was there I didn’t see any parking spaces!
2. You say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fit it”. This lot has been a DUMP for decades, often used by construction crews as a staging area. When we cleanup up the park we filled nearly a dozen dump truck loads of overgrown non-native plants, bottles, cans, cement, asphalt etc. If you don’t consider that broken then I don’t know what standards your using for broke?
3. You ask why now? A better question should be what’s taken so long? The peninsula community doesn’t have enough park space for the amount of residents who live here and there’s very little available space to fill that need. Fact: According to a park inventory and needs analysis dated February 2006 by former PCPB member Ann Swanson “The Peninsula has a deficiency of approximately 664 to 793 acres of resource based parkland . . . ” This tiny lot is less than an acre so we still have a severe lack of park space.
4 You state that “over the years” you and your neighbors have had to deal with
“loud music, cigarettes, alcohol, transients, vehicles, motor scooters, BB guns, and dirt bikes”. Any reasonable person would consider that “broke”. However later in your piece you state “it really was not all that bad there except for some gravel and a few scrubs.” So which was it?
5. You ends this piece with “someone wants to build under the guise of a park”. Let me tell you who the “someone” is: The lead for this project is Jon Linney, a former Romanian orphan who endured horrible living conditions that no child should ever have to experience and now wants to give back to adopted country. Don Sevrens, a former Union Tribune news editor who cares about his community and myself a former OB Town Councilman who spent 11 years busting my rear end to get local kids who like to skateboard off the deadly streets and into a safe place to skateboard – the Robb Field Skate Park.
Finally, myself and my neighbors who live adjacent to Fire Station number 22 on Catalina Blvd. are so greatfull that our former “dump” next to the fire station was turned into a pocket park. Now instead of loud music, transients, vechiles, motor scooter, BB guns and dirt bikes we have a wonderful Pocket Park for all to enjoy.
By the way, Linney, Sevrens and myself are all volunteer board member on YOUR
Penninsula Community Planning Board and we deeply care about Point Loma because it’s our home too! – Mike Ryan, PCPB Vice Chair and Chair of the Park and Recreation Sub-Committee
A great reply Mike. I live right next to this space, and it’s been a blighted lot for years. I’m extraordinarily grateful to all volunteers and the Burtech crew for restoring this natural land after 50 years of misuse and neglect.
If you think the grading was done without a permit you might want to consider contacting the city.
Call the Code Enforcement Division at (619) 236-5500. The Intake Desk will ask if you believe they have a permit or not. If the grading is under active permit, call Engineering and Capital Projects, Field Engineering Division, at 1-858-627-3297. You may also visit the Development Services Department’s Grading web page for additional information.
The only thing the article said they did was “smooth the surface.” I do not believe what they did would qualify under the City’s definition of grading, I think this is a non-issue folks. Burtech has been in the business for many years and they would know if a permit was needed. Their bread and butter is City sewer and water main replacement work that they are very good at, they would not have jeopardized their standing with the City by doing any illegal grading.
The grade is the same today as it was for the last 30 years. I have to agree with Geoff. This is a non-issue.
I live right alongside this park, and this is simply a list of the CURRENT issues that have been unresolved for decades. This area has not been wilderness since it was graded in 1965 or earlier–it’s just been neglected and abused. A walk-in park would a vast improvement.
Susie, please understand the consequences of obstructing the City’s longstanding park plan. You will be handing this land back to the city, for sale to a developer… you’ll wish you had a park when there’s a 30+ foot structure blocking out the sun. A developer’s paid lobbyist would approach this in just such a manner.
Don and Jon have been going door-to-door, speaking to those of us who neighbor this site. If you know of numerous neighbors who prefer the status quo, then let’s include them in these discussions. Despite all the leaflets and meetings, and Saturday’s cleanup, they haven’t gotten involved.
It’s shameful to think you might have to ask the entire community if it’s okay to clean up…or to think it requires a permit. Thank you to Don, Jon, Rocky, and everyone who participated. It looks beautiful.
A quick Google search lead me to the City website and yes a permit should have been issued. Not for cleaning up trash but for moving dirt.
http://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/industry/information/grading/faq.shtml#nopermit
A moving dirt permit? I guess it’s a remote possibility, but there was no change to the existing grade. It’s the same today as it was in 1965.
You go girl. Who is watching the watchers watching the watchers watching the watchers watching the watchers? Follow the money, & you will either find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or you will end up in purgatory.
Another fine mess, Mr. Thong, another fallacy of false alternatives!
I’d like to know, “Who is watching you watch the watchers?”
Well, that was quite a rant! I live in that neighborhood. Where do you live?
People who attend the PCPB meetings know what is going on and why. We also know that if we don’t grab this park then someone WILL build on it. They will put up high density condos. THEN you can complain about lack of parking. They will open Ave. de Portugal all the way to Canon st. THEN you can complain about traffic!
IF you were involved, you would know that there have been meetings to get community input. Where were you and your concerns during those meetings?
Mike Ryan was very polite addressing your “rant.” I say, get in the loop and get the relevant information and continue watching. That is what I am doing.
Rants are goodness incarnate; they help reduce blood pressure. Certainly, I appreciate it whenever any group of citizens volunteers time & effort to right a blight. And the civility in the responses–admirable.
I strongly agree with Susie, except that the bushes needed a drastic trimming. They were a huge fire hazard and there has been a problem with people entering the bushes to do drugs,drink, smoke, etc. I am really grateful for that part of the cleanup.My family has lived next to that space for years and years and I realize it is a huge privilege to live near open space. It has always been open to anyone for legal recreational purposes. Do we need to build a park?
If you support a park, what is your commitment to it? Will you use it? Will you WALK to it? We already have enough cars parked on Ave de Portugal. Will you clean up after yourself and your dog and others? Will you call the police if you see illegal activity in the park? In a few years, will you still be committed to the park?
I am grateful for the cleanup of the bushes and for the cleanup along Canon St, but I’m not so pleased abut the rest. The day before last Saturday’s cleanup, I pointed out to the 2 organizers the lupine plants growing along the north side of the City land. One of them spray painted a line on the ground indicating where the lupine were to be protected when Burtech did it’s grading on Sat. I was assured again on Saturday that no harm would be done to the lupine. I believe the lupine are native to coastal SD. Sure enough on Saturday, the lupine were covered up by the dirt during grading. The grading, I was told, was to help protect the bluffs over Canon St from more erosion.
Later Saturday, Burtech began to scrape up the gravel from he site. Despite my protests it looks like much of the gravel was removed or spread around. Now there’s a thin layer of gravel or bare dirt. With the light, steady rain on Sunday, it was a muddy mess on Sunday and Monday morning, not suitable for walking in the area. It was horrifying when the gravel was laid years ago and it was ugly, but it did keep a lot of dust from blowing down Ave de Portugal and it did act somewhat as a weed barrier for the dry grassy weeds that usually grace the site. The gravel was ugly and not ideal, but the
park promoters did not come up with a replacement. They said that since Burtech was donating its work on Saturday that this was a great opportunity to get free work that would cost “us” thousands later on. It looks like until money is raised, we neighbors will have to deal with the mud or dust and dry weeds that will be a fire hazard again.
The park promoters are looking for a non-profit organization to finance a park since the City does not have the funds. Those advancing the park idea say that if the site does not become a park then the City will sell it to developers for housing. We are told that the community can have its say on whether we want a park or in what type of park we want. I question how much influence we will have since it seems like the donor would have a big role in the park design. Would a donation from afor-profit organization be accepted if there is no other donor? Apparently, the City Park and Rec Board makes the final decision.
Over the years, so many individuals and contractors have said they are doing the right thing for this piece of land. In the 1960’s, it was the big developer that leveled the hill where the proposed park is to be . They filled in the block-long canyon alongside it to build the houses of the 3400 block of Addison St. The 2 city contractors left gravel on the surface after using the land as their staging area for large public works projects in the area. They said that was the right thing. This summer, Burtech Pipeline used a smaller portion of the city land for its staging area, despite neighbors’ protests that the vegetation was too dry for vehicles to be running over it or near it. Burtech said there was no fire danger. Again, they knew what was right for the land.
Now 2 or three members of the Peninsula Community Planning Board are promoting a park. They say this is the right thing to do for the neighborhood. Is it?
I’m puzzled by Jon Linney’s statement that this site is now a “blank canvas.” There are a lot of plants, birds, insects, and other creatures that are trying to live there despite what people are attempting to do to the land.
Who will maintain a park? The City has said they will be required to maintain the land if it becomes a park. There have been recent articles in the Presidio Sentinel about the City not clearing fallen trees and other debris from Presidio Park. If the City won’t maintain Presidio Park, will they maintain this one? In my opinion volunteers, will come and go and lose enthusiasm about such a project.
I am waiting for a reply to my request to the SD Park and Rec Department to see the permit for the work done on the City land on Saturday.
At least on my block and on the block,across the street from me, not all neighbors were informed of Saturday’s cleanup.
Please attend the Peninsula Community Planning Board meeting at 6:30 tonight at the PL Library. A report on the proposed park is on the agenda.
Anonymous donors to the project. Big money means big brass plaques on the benches.
Indigenous plants only. Locally sourced materiel for the improvements. It could remain a park for decades; or if the military wants it, they will take it; remember the battle for Florida Canyon & the hospital?
Hey Mary and Susy – when my family moved here 35 years ago there was a DUMP next to the fire station on Catalina Blvd. Now there a nice park. Maybe instead of complaining y0u should be thankful your community leaders care enough to help you get a park too. There’s nothing nefarious going on here – just nice people trying to help our neighbors.
– Mike Ryan, PCPB Vice Chair
I agree. You are nice people and I am greatly thankful to you and the other volunteers for the cleanup of the bushes and trash. We neighbors would never have been able to accomplish that work without you.
As one of the adjacent property owners, I am excited that this land may finally become a community park for the working-class neighborhood of Roseville, and we were promised in the Point Loma Master Plan of 1986. Over the past 15 years, that lot has served as a staging area for city contractors, but gratefully was recently deeded over to the San Diego Parks & Recs Dept.
Recognizing this unique opportunity, the neighbors living closest to the park, joined together last weekend to help clean up the empty lot which could be best described as a blighted area with several tons of accumulated broken glass, concrete, gravel, metal pipes, overgrown acadia, and other non-native debris. Burtech Pipeline was responsible for cleaning up the lot after they completed their permitted use as a construction staging area for the water main replacement project. While the prior 10, or so, city contractors failed to adequately clean-up the lot after their own respective usage, with some simply burying their debris to avoid paying the landfill tipping fees, Burtech Pipeline graciously removed all of the accumulated debris, even though they were not responsible for the resulting mess left behind by many prior contractors. I never met a finer and more conscientious group of workmen than those employed by Burtech Pipeline and who just saved the Parks & Recs Dept about $15,000, or more, in clean-up costs.
It is truly unfortunate that your reader Suzie posted such an ill-informed comment here. She apparently didn’t even bother to read the article above, or failed to speak with any of the adjacent property owners, before making such insulting claims as to my and my neighbor’s motives. Does Suzie think we should allow more residential housing to be built, on our park land, on par with that giant concrete “BBQ pit” of eyesore that has been “under-construction” across Canon Street for the past 25 years? Or, the infamous & abandoned “clamshell house”, or the condos recently built in Roseville that exceed the 30′ foot height limit? The city of San Diego officials certainly must endorse that type residential in-fill, otherwise, why haven’t Code Compliance Officers ever taken those property owner to task for maintaining abandoned and non-code compliant property within our neighborhood? Obviously, nobody else really cares about our quality-of-life locally, so the people most affected are stepping up to the challenge.
Maybe Suzie should have actually read the article above, or talked to those most affected, before commenting? Or, even better, spent less time behind a keyboard and actually lent us a helping hand!
You actually do not know how much I know or how much I have done or hiw much I have read. You are sounding very defensive.
Most of the immediate neighbors were Not aware of impending doom to that area. Know that.
I know a lot more than you think.
I will wait to see what happens before I comment further.
I do refuse to get into a writing war with you as I know I am right.
Some people want a park there only in return for political favors.
There was not too much trash or garbge there as it has been kept picked up by concerned neighbors before you even got involved.
Be Well We are watching and reading and listening.
Not all neighbors want this that is for sure. Especially since its being railroaded by a bunch of you for your own glory. I have cleaned up there way more than you will ever know and not for my own glory.
Slim. ….. Totally Agree with you. There does not need to be a park there.
Funny, not one naysayer of my note will admit there was no permit for all the earth moving and grading. Funny. We shall see.
Thanks for all your hard work and mud piles. Soon to be dust/dirt piles & no lupine or other native wild flowers . Great going, teamwork .
I agree. For years, other city contractors have failed to clean up after themselves. Burtech did a fantastic clean-up thanks to Don and John. You could safely walk barefoot there now. It looks beautiful already.
To be clear, I agree with Matt DeVol’s comment here–not Susie’s. If it appears I agree with Susie, my apologies. I do not. I find Susie’s motives very suspicious, and her comments inexplicable. And uninformed. And strange.
I’d be curious as to where the numbers come from they says PL is short 600 acres of park?
Some other parks the are within a mile or two of this area include:
Sunset Cliffs Park- best place in SD see the sunset, walk, jog, run, bike.
Point Loma Community Park- great for concerts
NTC, Liberty Station -this place is huge, nice and taken care of with multiple jungle gyms
The park next to and behind Bay View Assisted Living Home on Canon. (Just across the street and down a few blocks from the new proposed pocket park)
The park behind the church on Canon and Talbot. (just up Canon from the proposed pocket park.
Shelter Island Park- great place with city views, kids jungle gym
Harbor Island park- again with great views, places to walk, sit, ride a bike, sit and read.
Spanish Landing Park- Giant wooden ship, I mean come on people?
Carrillo Elementary School- dogs love it.
Ever other school in the area for that matter.
Every beach on the Bay- quite and great views, never crowded.
Ocean Beach- best beach in SD
Almost all of these have great parking with the exception being the Park behind the assisted living home.
Just my 2 cents,
Thanks.
The thing is, this site’s been a blighted vacant lot for years. That’s really what were looking at. If you don’t like the idea of another park, okay. But still looking for a solution. I live next to it, and the status quo is really pathetic for a community such as Point Loma. Look at google maps…it even looks bad from space.
Mike,
No the open space was not Blighted as you say.
Yes, it had some debri there and needed trimming, but Blight is too strong of a word.
Keep your dog on a leash and pick up after him too when he runs free in the ” blighted area”. And, follow the speed limit too on Canon St.
Susie
Asking again, who owns the property and did the owner give permission?
The City owns the land, it is under the jurisdiction of Parks & Rec.
Slim,
If you read one of my previous responses you would notice that an inventory of Peninsula park spaces was done by a former PCPB member in 2006 and the fact is that the Peninsula is under represented by 600 plus acres. City park officials will tell you the same thing. It’s not debatable. Secondly Liberty Station can not be included in this inventory and honestly I’m not sure why that is but the city will tell you the same thing. And that is not debatable. No matter how you spin it Slim WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH PARK SPACE IN THE PENINSULA AREA BY A LOT!
Not to be mean but the city of San Diego owns the property not the neighbors and not you sir. This lot has been a horrible blight for decades and as pointed out in previous conversations it has had its share of transitents, smoking, off road vechiles, drugs booze etc.. Is that what you want?
Your community volunteers are making the effort to improve your neighborhood.
So Slim would you rather have the dump back? From responses we receive from surrounding neighbors most are thrilled to have a park there.
I repeat, the same thing happened to the vacant lot next to the fire station on Catalina Blvd. it was a dump and now its a lovely little park. I sincerely hope this puts to rest any argument against turning this decades old dump into park. Its really not a hard concept to understand people! A NEIGHBORHOOD DUMP OR A PARK?
– Mike Ryan, PCPB Chair Park and Recreation sub-committee.
How can you honestly say most of people surrounding the park want it? That is just rhetoric as a matter of fact, most are not and were not awareof the raping of the earth that took place on Saturday. It really was not told to All.
Most of the neighbors do not want it that live on Ave. de Portugal except one.
It may be a “shame”, but a permit is needed.
You need to follow the laws. Just go to any of the mentioned open spaces if you need a park, they are already there and waiting for you. Just wondering why such vim & vigor for such a small space? After you put in all the parking spaces, there will hardly be a place to enjoy or relax.
We realize “we” do not own the open area nor would we want to. Moreover, neither do you and just because you volunteer on a “board”, does not give you carte Blanche to stuff am unwanted park down our throat.
Be well… You will need your energy !
Dear Mike,
Your offer for us to look up the website, while generous, your Link is not accurate.
It states the name is for sale. We are not able to use that link.
Please update.
Thank you.
Susie, you’re just spreading lies with this post. I’m beginning to think you’ve buried a body in there. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I will not be visiting it as a dump or a park and frankly I don’t know who would other than the people who live right around there. Are the same volunteers going to police the park and clean it up? That would be great. Maybe they should have done that before it became a dump. What it comes down for me is this, I don’t think tax payer dollars should be spent on building it or maintaining it.
Thanks
Dear Mike M,
No, I have nothing to be ashamed of, you do though.
I Do Not lie and actually abhor liars. I have zero reason to lie.
My only concern is for the area not to be used inappropriately.
You are a new( neighbor)term used loosely, in Pt Loma, who has enjoyed favors not given to the average citizen , it’s no wonder you feel obligated.
I do not wish to explain further on this site but I’m sure you will understand.
The land there needs to stay wild and allowed to return to its natural state. Get off the bandwagon and do the right thing. Don’t just flip on a dime when it suits you.
No, there are no bodies there that I have seen as I am sure I would have seen them by now.
Another “park” is not necessary there.
How about a place for just Mother Nature and not a STOOPID man made, fake, ill
conceived open space nuisance to attract undesirables ?
Oh, what a concept.????????????
Interesting, and telling, those who post here without posting their full names. Appears that all the negativity comes from the people hiding behind aliases. If you truly cared about our quality-of-life, and are not in this for your own self-interest, than why not disclose your identities? Or, are you just developers posing as concerned citizens?
It is easy to say anything when hiding behind an alias. It appears to me that the correct, relevant information comes from people who are not afraid to identify themselves.
To Jon Linney:
Just because Burtech has a few permits in their possession as part of their employment, does not mean they had the Correct permits to grade and move dirt.
We do not believe there is an appropriate permit given for what was done since it all came together on such short notice.
Watching …
The grade, slope, and terracing were done many years ago. Im not sure what you mean. It looks exactly the same.
Susie
I am glad you are watching me, someone besides my parents has to keep tabs of what i am doing. Do you want a copy of my daily schedule? Next time you come to the PCPB meeting you shouldn’t be so shy to introduce yourself.
Jon Linney
Dear Jon,
I do not know you & don’t want to as you seem young, immature, impetuous & defensive. If you do plan on a pursuing politics, you must learn some manners &
How to be polite.
I do plan on being at a meeting in the near future when I have advance notice.
No, your schedule is of zero concern to me, but your out & out falsehoods do concern me , especially regarding what you have written here.
Be well.
Watching is a bystander sport. Why not get actively engaged if you have such strong feelings about this land designated for a park? The neighbors are planning to meet tomorrow morning (Friday) at 9:00 a.m. to discuss ideas and areas of mutual agreement about the future of the park. You are welcome to join us.
Matt, Did “Susie” come to your meeting on Friday?
For the public record, no Susie did not attend our meeting of next door neighbors which was held at the walk-in park, despite the gracious invitation.
Dear Point Loma Community:
An opportunity presented itself to clean up the blighted city-owned parcel and designated park site. We organized a crew of neighbors to volunteer. Also Burtech has all the permits. If there is anyone that doesn’t agree, feel free to call the city and Burtech. The city does not have funds to clean up — that was our motivation. We stated our case, we acted in an honorable manner to help our community. Nothing more is to be gained by the back and forth on the OB Rag. Therefore, we encourage you to take your argument to a higher authority. Like the City Council, the City or the media.
JON LINNEY
Well said. Thanks for all your hard work.
I’ve seen this property go from a wild area full of tumble weeds to worse, over the past 46 years. I for one was extremely pleased to see the clean up of this area and even more pleased to find out that it will become a walk through park. YES! HOORAY! And yes, I am within walking distance and would very much enjoy using it as a walk through park area! It is a VAST improvement over what was originally there. I’m committed to helping with this project and beautification of this small area! I don’t see this as a worm in the apple and there’s no reason to “follow the money”, as there is no ulterior motives behind this project! Watch all you want and you’ll meet me with a smile on my face and likely some dirt on my face and hands from working on this project. I’ll restate this…..I am very happy this will soon be a park!
That’s a very enjoyable walk and I am very much looking forward to this little park and a quiet place to sit and contemplate a busy day! Mary, Susie and Thong, I don’t see any issues about having this park located here. Parking issues? Umm….there’s nowhere to park anyway, so the people who most likely would enjoy this park are local people who can easily walk to it. It is such a vast improvement over what has been there for so many years! Way to go Jon and planners! Giving you all a thumbs up on this project!
Obviously You Do Not know everything involved in this & are just choosing now to get in on the bandwagon. How come if you live so close I never saw you there cleaning up or anything. Whatever, rthrre are a lot of things about this Entire situation that you do not know. If you did, you would not like it either. Where were you on Saturday ? At home since most people were not privy to what ” cleanup/raping” of the land was going on.
So now U want to just sit back & enjoy a park without knowing everything involved.
Get a clue. Do more home work @ stop listening to these fear mongers.
I suggest you have not been to that area in years and just want to write something for no good reason. You were content, as well as others to do Nothing for 46 years, so why now? Ulterior Motives perhaps ? Go read a book or go take a walk, your letters are not necessary . You are just like all the rest, no good do gooders jumping on something that does not need any help. Get a life.
Oh! I’m sorry! I do have a busy, busy life and have been out of town WORKING for a few months! So pardon me for being out of the loop for a couple months! Quit with the negativity and move forward in a positive manner please! This is in fact, a VST improvement of the area! And yes I do in fact know much more about this project than you think I do! Moving FORWARD on a positive note….????
Dearest Wendy,
Righting the blight is right. I’ve little problem w/ citizens acting to improve their neighborhood. I was cheer leading when someone watched the movers & shakers.
In a nutshell:
I think about this & I think about that
I think about foods that make me fat
I criticize this & I criticize that
When all I want to be
is The Cat in the Hat
You are beyond responding to on this comment! Newer to the area,….ummmm…. I don’t think so!
Oh ! So you aren’t into helping those who are homeless? Yes, I’ve seen! Yes I have helped and yes, I will continue to help! Where are you? Do you help the homeless? Do you help the homeless veterans? ‘Nuff said! So done with your negativity Suzie! You don’t know what I’ve done, nor do you know what I plan to do for our lovely Point Loma community. I’m out of this “discussion” with you! It is tiring to read your assumptions and negativity!
Susie, Read the comment rules!
I’m no thug BTW.
Who are you to tell me to stay off the OB Rag and then say I’m on it? How rude and crude!
I do see both sides and note yours and others concerns as to not wanting the park to be a loud “party” hangout where drugs are prevalent and where homeless can have a nice place to hang out. I believe that the SDPD would be patrolling the area to ensure this doesn’t happen. I hope this park is a safe place for all to visit and enjoy! Not all parks are full of homeless and drug abusers. Is there a neighborhood watch program in effect? I haven’t seen any signs that the neighborhood has one. It might be just what is needed? Just an idea.
My family lives very close to the site on Avenida de Portugal. Without wanting to be involved in the childish drama that I’ve been reading, I believe that a walk through park would be a wonderful and welcomed change for this site. Kudos and thank you to those who have taken action to clean the lot. My advice for those who wish there to be a park is to focus on the effort to identify sponsors that will help make this a reality. Despite appearances, this is the only remaining hurdle. All other efforts in arguing, name-calling, blaming, disrespecting simply fuel the fire and detract from the efforts that will make this a success.
I agree Concerned! It will be a lovely addition to our community!