A park for the disabled.

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    Despite his great insights into the human mind, Sigmund Freud died at the age of 83, a bitter and disillusioned old man who proved unable to sustain his friendships. He wrote, “I have found little that is good about the human beings on the whole.” Sigmund never spent a weekend at Malibu Bluffs Park or he would have found camaraderie.

    The Malibu/Lost Hills Disaster Communications Service of the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department spent the weekend of June 23-24th engaged in a yearly 24-hour disaster drill simulating emergency communications during a major crisis. I had the opportunity, as a supervisor during this exercise, to talk to numerous Bluffs Park visitors over a two-day period and was pleasantly stunned with their openness, friendliness and sharing regarding their interest in the disaster drill, emergency radio equipment and the Malibu Bluffs Park in general. Few, if any of the individuals I talked with were from Malibu. Malibuites, it seems, seldom venture past the ball fields and the Michael Landon building.

    I ascertained that the recreational area visitors felt that the Malibu Bluffs Park was well maintained (no trash here) and abounded with friendly folks and a family atmosphere. Their favorite spot is the Whale and Dolphin Watching Station and the visitors were shocked at the prospect of losing the Malibu Bluffs Park in its current format.

    Chatting with a disabled wheel chair bound man viewing the ocean at the Whale Watching Point in the park, I observed tears build up in his eyes when I informed him that he would be loosing his favorite weekend haven from his city apartment. I regretted breaking the news to him as he made it clear to me what an important part of his life this ocean lookout was. Did I know, he asked me, that this was the only purposely designed disabled and handicap accessible whale watching and ocean monitoring spot in the entire Southern California area and, he went on, maybe the entire state of California? He knew, from experience, what a significant position the Malibu Bluffs Park plays in people’s lives.

    He asked if California State Parks Director Rusty Areias knew how much this park means to the populace and stated, “Is Rusty wearing blinders?” Maybe Mr. Areias is unaware that the disabled regularly use the park.

    Another park visitor, when told of the park’s eventual fate declared, “that the elimination of the park in its current form ensures that Malibu and its ocean beauty only belong to the rich.” Maybe he should have added, and the “able bodied.”

    And that is all I have to say.

    Tom Fakehany