By Shain Haug
During the Jan. 7 weekend, we took down the lights on the flyover bridge and the decorations at the Zion Avenue/Waring Road triangle. We hope that they brought you some pleasure and happiness, maybe a moment of relief from the tensions and anxieties of the season.
The next Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council town hall meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church. In addition to reports from city agencies, we will be joined by Jose Reynoso, the president of the College Area Community Council (CACC). This council has extensive experience in the matter of mini?dorms, residences that have been converted to high occupancy for college students.
Reynoso will speak to the problems imposed on the community by those residences and how the CACC has dealt with the issue. As the population of San Diego State University increases and as more students seek housing near the school we can expect the problem to migrate to Allied Gardens and Grantville. We need to be prepared. He will also address our common interests in control of the homeless population and the impact that these folks have on our neighborhoods.
While we are talking about the homeless situation, the Regional Task Force on the Homeless is doing their periodic count of the homeless on Jan. 27. The task force needs volunteers. Visit rtfh.volunteerhub.com for more information and to sign up to help.
At this town hall meeting, we will solicit your membership on the AGGCC board of directors. Your skills are much desired by the community. The officers of the board of directors will be nominated.
Planning for the improvement of the Alvarado Creek littoral between Waring Road and Mission Gorge Road has begun in earnest. The city’s development group will conduct public forums and workshops the first of which will be on Feb. 15, the location and time of the event to be determined. We will keep you advised of the Community Council activities by way of the monthly article in this newspaper, our newsletter, Nextdoor.com, and Twitter at @SanDiegoAGCC. Contact us if you need help in accessing these sources of information.
On March 28, the town hall meeting speaker will be John Wurster of Affirmed Housing, the organization that is converting the Motel 6 on Alvarado Canyon Road to a residence for homeless military veterans and that plans to build a similar residence at the corner of Fairmont Extension and Twain Avenue. The council feels that these new neighbors, the conditions at the properties, what they may bring to the area, and what we can do to support the goals of the ventures are of critical interest to the community.
The board of directors meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church. Our next meeting will be on Feb. 6. We have a lot ahead of us in 2017 and there is a place for you in this organization.
One last and very important word. I want to express our appreciation to two stalwart members of the Community Council who have made and are making a most substantial commitment to our neighborhood.
Julie Stollenwerk, the secretary, and John Kunkel, our treasurer, prepare the minutes of our board and town hall meetings, take care of our correspondence, see to our finances, organize and publish our newsletter, and are always there for every activity we undertake. Much of the strength of the council arises from their leadership, commitment, and tireless efforts. Our thanks for all they do for our community.
—Shain Haug is the president of the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council. Reach him at [email protected]. Suggestions for town hall meetings and council action will be much appreciated.
