Readers responds

AT ISSUE: Mike Scheafer stepped down from the Costa Mesa Parks

Commission last week after he was advised to abstain from voting on the

skate park because he had written a letter about the issue to the Pilot.

Some readers wrote and called in to support Scheafer.

Should Mike Scheafer be silenced because of his views regarding the

proposed skate park? Absolutely not!

We need more people like Mike to speak up on behalf of the youth of

Costa Mesa. Skating has become a favorite pastime and a healthy activity

for many young people in our community. They deserve a safe and

accessible place to practice their sport, not a postage stamp sized lot

without modern restroom facilities and adequate parking.

With his resignation, Costa Mesa loses a fair-minded, dedicated parks

commissioner and the young skaters in our city lose a voice.

Thanks for all of your hard work, Mike.

JEAN CHAPIN

Costa Mesa

I am responding to your question of the day, regarding Mike Scheafer.

I don’t think Scheafer should have abstained from voting on the skate

park issue. They are all entitled to their own opinion, aren’t they?

What shocks me is that two other commissioners, according to your

article, agree with him that it is the wrong location but voted for it

anyway! But then again, this is the same commission that voted

unanimously for 15-foot wide concrete roads in Fairview Park.

TIM CROMWELL

Costa Mesa

I am the son of former Parks Commissioner Mike Scheafer. I am a bit

appalled at what this city thinks to be honest lawmaking when a

commissioner’s objections and views are taken as an attack, as biased

opinion.

I do believe that when someone votes on something, they obviously have

a biased opinion due to the fact that that is what they are voting on.

It is too bad that this city can’t see what is best for the children.

It’s too bad that they have to find things that are best for the adults

and homeowners of the city when children are the future.

I grew up in a city that pretty much kept the children out of a lot.

And it was kind of nice to see that things were starting to turn around

for children. And to stick them in the Charles Street location is

ridiculous. You are taking them out of one homeowner’s eyesight into

another, in a worse location -- in a location where it is dangerous for

the children with less access to facilities around. Just in general it’s

a bad location.

I would like to know that my children growing up in the city are going

to be happy and have facilities to do and participate in things. But the

way things are going, it seems like the city is getting worse and worse

for the children. Recreation for the children is not very well adjusted.

And if you look at other cities in the Orange County area, such as

Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, they all build the parks and facilities that

their children need in a good location and what is best suitable for the

children -- not what the homeowners think is best or what politics deem

as best.

This was intended to support Mike Scheafer and his decision to resign.

It’s not appropriate that he should be criticized for his opinions and

how he feels on issues. And it is too bad that the rest of the board

can’t see through this.

MATT SCHEAFER

Costa Mesa