KIDS THESE DAYS:Decisions for ‘the greater good’

There is a fabulous movie now out on DVD called, “Hot Fuzz.” But before you watch it, you should see, “Shaun of the Dead.”

Both flicks are the work of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, who have revitalized the horror genre. Be warned that both movies contain some gore. But it’s funny gore, if such a thing is possible.

“Hot Fuzz” takes place in an English village where the town council makes all of its decisions in the interest of “the greater good,” a line that takes on a new meaning as the film progresses.

In both Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, there are issues affecting kids that are being argued by two sides who each claim their way is for the greater good.

In Newport Beach, the location of City Hall interrupted plans to put a park near the corner of San Joaquin Hills Road and MacArthur Boulevard.

Parks are good, and particularly good for kids. But whether a combination of a City Hall and park is for the greater good of our children remains to be seen. Frankly, I’m not sure what all the fuss is all about. Seems to me that the combination City Hall and park was a win-win.

In Costa Mesa, there is much debate over where to locate a second skate park. This causes smiles among those who see the irony of a city that dragged its feet for years over the first skate park and now can’t wait to build a second one.

There is room at Lion’s Park but opponents claim it would eat up open, grassy space, which is at a premium there. No argument here. The Westside of town needs more open space in which kids can play.

Proponents of the new skate park prefer Lion’s Park because of its proximity to local bus lines.

But creating a new skate park in Lion’s Park would displace the annual fish fry, which has already relocated from Orange Coast College.

There is no need to start the skate park location search all over again, as there is a list of skate park locations left over from a few years ago. The idea that the skate park has to be located near a bus line is not much of a reason to disregard places off the beaten path.

It is humorous to note that the kids who will be using the skate park will be bringing with them an efficient and beneficial form of portable transportation in their hands. To any location, kids can skateboard to or ride their bikes, just as they do with the current skate park, which is not geographically desirable by any means. The fish fry should be relocated to a paved part of town so that we no longer have to hear about the damage it is doing to grassy areas.

Most of the reasons we need the fish fry go beyond the fundraising it provides. The success of any city does not always show up on its ledger pages. Successful cities protect their traditions, too, sometimes with a financial investment.

Traditions, you see, are not to be measured in a column or row on a spreadsheet. They are to be measured in good will; in the richness of the event and the pleasure it brings to residents. Any city can pick apart a tradition by citing costs. The hard part is supporting an event that does not put a dime in city coffers, even one that is sponsored by people with whom one does not always agree.

It means supporting a tradition for the greater good.