Submitted by Mary Jane Clements
I was born in Coronado, lived here in elementary school and high school, returned to Coronado permanently in 1990 when my husband was retiring after a 20 year career in the Navy. At that time our three children were in 9th grade, 7th grade and 3rd grade. All three graduated from Coronado High School. Now that my children have families of their own, one family is here in Coronado.
I was among the many who were surprised and disappointed at the vote taken by our City Council regarding a project that would benefit the youth in our community, open to anyone that would like to use it, at no cost to the City. It has been painstakingly reviewed by the City Planning Commission over the past 5 years and was finally approved by Commission and sent to Council for final approval. The criticisms I have seen on social media and in an article in local papers characterized this project as, among other things, a cult; an effort to build a meeting hall that would be rented out for large functions causing traffic problems with the idea of a youth center being a ruse; statements that it would discriminate and not be inclusive; all not true. A number of folks apparently believed the various descriptions of the project without doing their own research or speaking directly with the entity apply[ing] for the permit.
I have also seen comments made by some that when they were young they wouldn’t have used such a youth center or that their own children wouldn’t use it either, but doesn’t that ignore the ones that would be delighted to have such a place to go? The use of the youth center would not be mandatory or exclusive. To use the facility or not would be the free choice of the young members of our community.
I would hope that Council will will give this project another, more extensive review and allow more voices, on either side, to be heard, and then take a second vote. It truly deserves further consideration.
Mary Jane Clements
Feature Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
