Where did we leave off, dear reader? On May 24, the last View from 52 column in the University City/Golden Triangle News, “Butt out of University City,” encouraged the idea of making U.C. a non-smoking zone after our U.C. Community Association clean-up that revealed hundreds of cigarette butts hugging the medians on Governor, Genesee and Regents. All those butts would be washed down drains heading to the ocean, with cigarette butts making up 35 percent of all litter, according to Keep America Beautiful.
I had hoped to read some angry letters to the editors from civil libertarians opposed to another government intervention, but no University City/Golden Triangle News paper hit my driveway on June 14. Instead, the sad news came that this paper, a venue for the community news, died a sudden death from complications of lack of support in advertising and apathy from the community.
I never read one letter to the editor in the La Jolla Village News complaining about the demise of “da news” of UC. No longer would there be photos of UC kids engaged in academics and athletics. No longer would there be photos and captions of activities like Christmas tree lighting at Standley, a CIF championship UCHS baseball team, or a series of passionate letters debating the Regents Road Bridge.
What is it with University City that it cannot sustain a newspaper? What is about University City that it cannot sustain a garden club? What is it about University City that it cannot sustain a community effort to put on the UC Celebration on July Fourth?
Does University City just want to be La Jolla East? Does University City want to see and hear about activities in a La Jolla paper rather than a UC one? Does University City want to depend on the generosity of a garden club in La Jolla, whose president resides in UC, a club that donated jacaranda trees to our beautification project on Governor Drive and at Park and Ride? Does the community want to see U.C. Celebration, a 19-year tradition, go dark again next year for lack of volunteers who plan and execute the event?
South University City is a lovely place to live, a community that celebrates its children, as the street banners reflect. Rose Canyon and Standley Park provide recreation and retreat from daily stresses. University City Community Association tries to provide activities and a monthly newsletter to its readers, and yet, most University City residents have yet to join the association.
Too busy, too tired, too involved in work, too old, too young? Take a breath and think about what you want in your community and then find others who share your ideas. Look at what activity evolved from the proposal of a Regents Road Bridge. Why can’t some of that passion appear to keep a newspaper alive, to keep a garden club thriving, to make sure U.C. Celebration has an incredible 20th birthday on July Fourth 2008?
Mark your calendars and come out for the 26th annual Banana Split on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2 p.m., at Standley Park. Sure, it’s free because the Heimburger family has donated the ice cream, and the Standley Recreation Council has approved funding for the rest of the necessary items, including a band concert at 3 p.m. by The Big Fellas, a pleasant rock ‘n’ roll band. Come to the Sunday summer concerts at Standley on Aug. 5 and every other Sunday night from 5 to 7 p.m. in August.