News of the Arroyo
Title: | Preserving Lower Arroyo |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2007-01-26 |
Summary: | January 26, 2007 - Letter writer Ann Scheid makes the case for a pure open space approach to the Desiderio site. |
Author: | Ann Scheid |
Publication: | Pasadena Star-News |
Content: | I understand that the idea for more parkland next to the Arroyo may not seem important to many in the rest of Pasadena. However, the Arroyo is much more than a neighborhood park; it is a city-wide, regional, resource. The land recently purchased by Pasadena near JPL is arguably more likely to serve La Ca ada than Pasadena in terms of proximity. This is cheap parkland/open space to acquire; it is probably free, whereas acquiring land elsewhere in the city is going to be very difficult, even nearly impossible, if it must be paid for or condemned. While it would be ideal to have parkland evenly distributed throughout the city, that is unlikely to happen, given present circumstances. It seems short-sighted to turn over this public land to private interests or to increase the intensity of the use of this public land, just because it is not ideally located. Pasadena is chronically short of open space/parkland. I believe we should acquire it whenever and wherever we can. The Lower Arroyo is the only designated \"natural\" park area in the city. To develop the land next to it, or to have a museum site there, with its attendant parking and traffic, when it could be open space/parkland, will increase air and water pollution in the watershed from run-off, auto and probably diesel bus exhaust. This puts greater pressure on animals and plants in the sensitive area of the Lower Arroyo. The recent restoration of a portion of the natural stream has made a world of difference; we need to do more in that direction, and not worsen the native habitat. To go ahead with the Desiderio proposals without considering parkland/open space for the site would seem to fly in the face of what a substantial portion of the public wants. The recent election results re the NFL show that Pasadenans city-wide are concerned about the issues of traffic and intensified use in the Arroyo. Pasadena\'s parkland has been steadily eroded over the years by special interests convincing the city that they need a facility on park property. The Casting Club and the Archers are examples in the Lower Arroyo. The Upper Arroyo has been almost taken up by such special interests, beginning with the Rose Bowl, the golf course, the Aquatic Center, and Kidspace. Then there is the Senior Center in Memorial Park, Caltech in Tournament Park, the Norton Simon in Carmelita Park, a branch library in La Pintoresca Park, etc. These may all be good causes, and each of them has a constituency, but the fact is that parkland is being continually sacrificed without being replaced. Perhaps an ordinance requiring the replacement of parkland whenever any is built upon, might slow this attrition. Ann Scheid Pasadena |
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