READERS RESPOND -- Locals want American Legion hall to stay

This is regarding the American Legion. As far as I am concerned, the

American Legion is as American as our flag, mom and apple pie. It is our

country they fought for. Let’s not forget our veterans and leave it where

it is. And remember what the traffic is like going down there.

PEG FETHER

Newport Beach

I am calling in reference to the Legion lease. What is this? A very cruel

Halloween joke? The Legion is part of Newport Beach forever. It is part

of Americana. And what are they going to put in there, a luxury hotel?

Where is the extra traffic going to go and come from? What about the

extra sewage, water and parking? It is a joke. Thank you, but no thank

you.

TAMALE FRANK

Costa Mesa

The American Legion property is an attractive, thriving facility meeting

the needs of people in a variety of social and financial brackets. It

serves veterans whose contributions are all too often ignored by fellow

citizens and the government alike. It also serves families and friends of

veterans, which constitutes a huge number of people.

The Marina Park mobile home park is also an attractive, thriving facility

that provides reasonably priced housing in a city with very little of

that. Properties like this allow people who might not otherwise be able

to afford life at the beach to be able to do so.

If, as Councilman Ridgeway said, the city has a “financial evaluation” to

make, then it must stop spending money and wasting time on “reviewing the

history and status” of one idea after another. The city needs to start

spending that money and time on improving our seriously deteriorating

Balboa Village. From my observations, the city has done little to

encourage business development there, other than funding a host of

studies with questionable results.

More people are affected by this area of town than the Balboa and 15th

Street section. It is already quaint and charming, yet desperately needs

a powerful drawing card to encourage businesses to open and allow them to

thrive. How about a new hotel right in Balboa Village where businesses

and the community will actually benefit from it?

MARIANNE ZIPPI

Balboa

I’m against it. There is a traffic problem now, without adding to it. If

hotel rooms are needed, why did Little Inn on the Bay close? Also the

American Legion does more for this community than a hotel ever could.

MICHAEL O’KELLY

Newport Beach.

Concerning your article about the proposed hotel on the American Legion

site. I believe you would be hard-pressed to find any resident of the

Peninsula who would be in favor of the project. Why is the City Council

determined to turn the peninsula into Marina Del Rey? Certainly the

residents don’t want this.

BILL GARRETT

Newport Beach