Parkland Poker!

GUEST EDITORIAL

The Jackie and Mack Robinson Memorial overlooking Pasadena City Hall (Photo – Staff).

The sanctuary of green space sitting next to the Jackie Robinson Memorial has been declared surplus, so that it can be turned over to a developer. In this game of high stakes, reality poker, the City has thrown the park into a penny ante poker pot. The City hopes the developer will renovate the old Julia Morgan YWCA building. (The land of the LA Arboretum was won in an actual poker game over 100 years ago).

By George Patton

The City Council met to vote on the fate of Civic Center Park, on Monday night, August 15th.  Concerned citizens packed the Council chambers until there was standing room only.  Many people waited more than 4 hours to voice their opposition, and many had to leave before they were allowed to speak.  The City Manager’s staff report used up most of the time, and opponents were limited to two minutes each.

After the PowerPoint presentation, many Council persons asked questions that furthered the developer’s position and caused people to wait until 10 pm to give testimony.

The main points of opposition were:  the glaring lack of parking, the removal of 36 trees, the loss of open space, the destruction of the Sister Cities space, the size of the hotel that the developer called a “boutique hotel” and the blocking of views of beautiful City Hall.

President Herbert Hoover once said after viewing City Hall and its surrounding open space, “It’s the most beautiful street in America.”

Less than ten people spoke in favor of Plan 2A, while more than forty five people spoke in favor of alternative Plan 2E. The City Council voted unanimously to approve the staff (and Pasadena Heritage’s) recommendation of 2A.

The various coalitions and citizens’ groups are now considering their options to stop this destructive project. A lawsuit may be the likely course of action.

One giant step for the developer…one great leap backwards for Pasadena.

George Patton is a Bio-Dynamic farmer and compost expert. He studied Permaculture with Bill Mollison and hosted his own “Gardening Naturally” show on KCRW. You can see George’s garden creations all over Pasadena, Altadena and the Los Angeles area.