Some people don't like change
Some people don't like soccer
Some people are unhappy with overall increased
sports activity at Mar Vista rec center.
They blame ONLY soccer and the new synthetic turf
surface.
There are two very popular gyms, outdoor basketball
courts, two picnic areas, pool, baseball diamonds, and
a superbly renovated small children's play area
which draws parents from all over West LA.
For the moment, no one is calling for reductions
in these other uses. Just soccer.
Some people want a 10' perimeter fence around the field
ostensibly to prevent play after park hours.
However, fence proponents have quietly pushed
for a rigid lock down operations policy--meaning
all individual soccer players would have to
buy a permit. They want restricted hours, reduced
events, limiting use of the field to 'family style play'
weekend afternoons, and even using the field for
'capture the flag'...as if there weren't a very large
baseball field a few steps away to easily accommodate
other, non soccer, activities.
These inflexible policies would apply only to
the synthetic field and to casual soccer players--
who are mostly local residents walking or biking
to use the field.
The park installed extra bike racks, donated by
the MVCC, by the way.
No one is calling for individual basketball or
baseball players, joggers, dog walkers, etc to be
individually permitted to use the park's other
amenities.
OR asking them to pay fees to do so. Just soccer.
Lock down would mean pay to play: only groups
with paid permits would have access to the field.
Groups need hours after school and work.
Consequently, the field, funded by OUR Prop K
bond money, would be empty most of the day.
Take a look at the sign in this photo:
it says, 'no soccer playing in this area'.
Someone tell me, what choice did this child have?
Those gates were locked when this photo
was taken summer of 2005.
Community outrage prompted removal
of this first fence. 500 Mar Vista stakeholders
and regular field users have already petitioned
Councilmember Bill Rosendahl requesting
preservation of public access to the field.
Tenor of the debate reached ACLU, which
wrote both the MVCC and the Councilmember
on behalf of public access, emphasizing
Los Angeles' park poor status and benefits
of the field to Mar Vista's disadvantaged youth.
At a time when City leaders unanimously approve
massive density increases, public space access
policies which keep Los Angeles' synthetic soccer
fields empty at any time are wildly inappropriate.
Concerned about player and spectator safety,
and concerned about protecting public use
of the field, the Mar Vista Community Council
stepped forward with a compromise
'Blueprint for a better Mar Vista Park
and Rec Center'.
There is more work to be done to insure equitable
hours, but the Blueprint has two KEY aspects
worthy of regional community support:
1. It places the proposed 10' fence 20' in
from the streets rather than on the
existing mow strip. This is family and kid friendly
design which creates a safe buffer for our kids
to play soccer flat out on a slick, fast surface
without slamming into a double braced fence
chasing down a ball.
2. It says, 'Openings shall be provided for
public and maintenance access, but no
gates shall be installed until such time as
the Department of Recreation and Parks
has provided a comprehensive written plan
for how they would guarantee that any future
gates would open during hours established
by the community.
This plan must be approved by the MVCC
Board of Directors.'
The Blueprint Plan is now in the hands
of LA Rec and Parks for design and budget.
'Quimby' fees, the money paid by developers
as part of the ongoing 'perfect storm' of building
in Council District 11, would fund Phase I
of the proposed Blueprint, including irrigation
relocation for the recommended fence placement.
You can find the complete Blueprint text at
www.marvistacc.org
On the front page click 'committees', minutes'
and then 'march 13 2007' for the document.
One more thing: let the MVCC know you appreciate
their stand on these two provisions of
the Blueprint Plan.
And, that you support use of Quimby fees
to ensure safe sideline space for
our families and kids
at Mar Vista Soccer Field.
You might also want to let
Councilmember Rosendahl,
the LA Rec & Parks Commissioners,
and the Mayor know, too.
You can find their email contact information
at www.lacity.org
Speak up!
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