READERS RESPOND -- To have art or not to have art?

Parents need to voice their art opinions

I was dismayed and incredulous that the Newport Beach City Council

would decide whether 3.5 acres of land behind the central library could

be considered for an arts education center. The council heard from

members of the Arts Commission, who believe in the protect, and from

members of Stop Polluting Our Newport, who want the land left as open

space.

The arts and letters have always been confluent hallmarks of a

civilized society. Yet there was no representation of the more than 7,000

sets of parents of the students of Newport Beach who may believe in

providing an extended education for students at that site. There may be

many who would welcome the confluence of an art education center and the

central library in after-school programs. Shouldn’t the council, out of

fairness, at least have sought input from a major segment of the

population before reaching a decision? This was voiced by council member

Tod Ridgeway, who should be commended for suggesting a continuation to

allow the input of other parents.

The view from that site and the open space are desirable elements, and

the plan to accommodate them was not mentioned at the council’s meeting

on Feb. 27. These were among the first considerations given to any

construction. Council members have repeatedly been shown that the plans

for an art education center would not -- at any point -- be higher than

the existing library roof line and that the area for the garage would be

covered with a grassy field to allow for usable open space.

It’s time to hear from the parents of Newport Beach. They need to let

their thoughts be known to the council.

LILA CRESPIN

Corona del Mar

EDITOR’S NOTE: Lila Crespin is a Newport Beach arts commissioner

Site should remain open space park

We are strong advocates of a cultural arts center in Newport Beach.

The problem with the proposal is not what it is, but the location where

it was proposed.

We have addressed the use of this site time and time again. It was

dedicated to remain open parkland by the Irvine Co. in exchange for their

developing another site. That was supposed to be in perpetuity. Then

someone tried to take this park for senior housing until that plan was

finally moved elsewhere.

Now we’re back here again discussing an arts and cultural center on

what we thought was a done deal park. How many times do we have to rehash

the usage of this site? What is there about perpetuity that we don’t

understand?

Our city, and particularly the Fashion Island area, has a known

parkland deficit. The state has declared us lacking in open space park

acreage. This particular park site supports coastal sage scrub plant,

bird, insect and mammal wildlife right now. It is a tiny Eden, a perfect

jewel, and deserves to remain so.

We beg you to support, in your editorials, the right thing for the

city of Newport Beach.

MILDRED AND MARTIN LITKE

Newport Beach

Arts center and open space needed

The Pilot’s recommendation to the Newport Beach City Council to

continue the arts debate is contrary to its June 17 editorial which

stated: “The library land should stay as is.”

Why continue the debate to place the arts center on the land above the

library? Enough is enough. This open space has been dedicated to the city

as open space and is now owned by the city.

It is protected by open space zoning as a result of the Newport Center

Library Exchange Agreement of 1991, which transferred its building

entitlement to Fashion Island. It was dedicated to the city in 1992, and

the dedication requires it to be used only for open space purposes.

It is a site with stunning ocean and coastline views and has natural

coastal sage habitat, which is vanishing along the Southern California

coast. It is a perfect site for a passive park.

The city’s general plan identifies an 11-acre deficiency in parks in

the Newport Center area, which would be satisfied by a park in this

location. Meanwhile, alternative sites are available for an arts center,

like the Port Theater, the Orange County Art Museum, etc. I think the

arts center would be a natural fit with either of these alternatives, and

might help keep the art museum in Newport Beach, rather than it moving to

South Coast Plaza.

It’s better for the City Council to keep its commitments and retain

dedicated open space as open space. It’s a matter of trust,

responsibility and credibility. Let’s look for a site for the arts and

education center, but let’s not have it on the dedicated open space site

above the library.

JAN D. VANDERSLOOT

Newport Beach

Donation, if spent, should be done elsewhere

Your editorial, while well-meaning, is somewhat naive. The media

should be the first to demand to know the identity of the anonymous donor

of any amount of money to a public agency for a restricted purpose --

especially when the objective is the center of so much controversy.

We all love the arts and education (ask any citizen or politician --

it is one thing they agree on). The problem is whether it is the right

thing at the right place at the right time. And for a myriad of reasons

it is none of the above. And surely you would agree, knowing better than

the layperson, how surveys and feasibility studies can be skewed.

If the city decides to take such money (and I for one think they

should shun such a practice), they would be well-advised to give half to

the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission -- which has unanimously

voted to oppose an arts (or any other building) on the open space behind

the library -- to do their survey and then they can give the other half

to the Arts Commission. But we all know how each of those surveys would

turn out.

After years of wondering why we in the U.S. do not subsidize the

performing arts in the traditional manner followed by other countries, I

have come to understand some of the reasons: the divisiveness of the

special interests within the arts community and the massive egos

involved.

IRYNE BLACK

Newport Beach

Keep open space and build center

Newport Beach does need an arts and education center, but it should be

near one of the high schools. An arts and education center doesn’t need

the view from the open space above the library. Because of its wonderful

view, the space above the library should be a park.

DON HARVEY

Newport Beach