There is nothing more powerful than a good idea.
Looking back on the battles fought over Trancas Park the last few months, it’s obvious to many of us what all of the battles were about.
The Design.
We all asked each other why it was necessary to bulldoze a natural ridgeline, or alter the natural topography of the area to fit in a park that was designed for a flat piece of property.
We met with the designers at a workshop, where they listened to our concerns, but rather than looking at the inherent flaws of the original plan, which made most of the already graded land into a roadway and parking lot, everyone decided to shrink something else-the dog park, tot lot, etc.-which caused a lot of arguments and animosity among Malibu residents.
Last week, Ron Goldman presented a plan for the park that fulfilled everyone’s needs. It would save the city over a million dollars. Excavation and retaining walls would be minimal, as it cleverly found a way to put the roadway and parking in the center of the park, allowing more space for everyone else.
It took a skilled architect like Mr. Goldman to see the potential of the site, and if the park had been designed this way in the first place, without the massive excavation and intrusion on the natural landscape, none of us would have been put through the past seven months of hell, residents and City Council members alike.
What is the big rush to build this park without studying Mr. Goldman’s plan? Why is the city in such a hurry to spend an extra million dollars in these times of financial uncertainty?
There is nothing more powerful than a good idea, but in order to benefit from one, the City leaders must be more open-minded.
John and Karen Norvet