Our March 28 meeting featured a presentation by Gary Blume on the operations of his “Total Altruism Project” (TAP).
Gary has placed trash pickers and bags in the Allied Gardens Recreation Center grounds for us to use in keeping that important community amenity clean. We hope to give you more information in our Newsletters in the near future. In the meantime, drop us a note in the “Contact Page” of our website if you want to find a way to support this effort.
This is a good time to touch on some opportunities, in addition to TAP, for community involvement.
The Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club will hold a Community Open House on Thursday, April 27, 5:30 p.m. at Palisades Presbyterian Church, 3301 Birchwood. This great organization is about to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of its place in the community. Here is your chance to learn more about their work, their place in your neighborhood, and how you can support their activities. No advance registration, just show up. There has been discussion of the possibilities of refreshments.
Councilmember Raul Campillo, Council District 7, holds Office Hours on the fourth Wednesday each month between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. where he meets with and listens to his constituents. The next office hours will be held on Wednesday, April 26 at the Serra Mesa Library. Reservations are required. To get a time slot to meet face to face with the Councilmember contact staff member Anthony Hackett at [email protected] or Cheryl Willis at [email protected]. It has been our experience that he acts on what we tell him is important to our neighborhoods.
We need to get off-leash dogs out of the areas of the park where we and our children play and engage in group activities. We can do so by establishing a designated space for dog owners. Thanks to the insistence of Councilmember Campillo the creation of an off-leash dog park in the open area between Benjamin Library and the swimming pool is closer to reality.
The next step will be taken on April 20, 2 p.m., when the City’s Park & Recreation Board considers public comments. If approved, the City will install fencing and support amenities this summer. The meeting will be held in person at the Balboa Park Club Ballroom located at 2150 Pan American Road West, San Diego 92101. The public can also access the meeting by Zoom at https://sandiego.zoomgov.com/j/1612801118?pwd=Y0huUUJCVEEvTjMxUmZJUXpGZjJyZz09; or can submit public comment at https://www.sandiego.gov/boards-and-commissions/public-comment (item number to be determined) of the agenda.
The agenda can be found at https://www.sandiego.gov/parkandrecboard/meetings. Further information can be obtained from Anthony Hackett of the Councilmember’s staff. This is your opportunity to get past the reluctance of the Park & Recreation to provide this much needed space. The numbers of us who show up and make comments will be the determinative factor in their decision.
The Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (NCPI) regularly meets on the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 6:30 p.m. NCPI has returned to in-person meetings and now convenes at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd, San Diego, CA , 92119.
The agenda for this meeting can be found at [email protected]. This organization is recognized under the terms of Council Policy 600-24 to make recommendations to the city on Navajo Area land use and development matters, but a recent amendment to the policy reduces our influence with the city and the Planning Department. Your attendance at the NCPI meetings will counteract this unfortunate development.
It is our job to preserve our neighborhoods. We do so by participation with organizations such as these mentioned above and so many others. Join the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council in its work and receive notices of the activities of the Navajo Community Planners, Inc. by registering through the “Contact Us” page of aggccouncil.org.
– Shain Haug is president, AGGCC.