MAILBAG - March 22, 2001

Now that the Newport Beach City Council and several activists have

quashed an arts and education center adjacent to the city’s central

library, the rest of the city might like to know what it entailed.

Included was a city auditorium, art gallery, reception hall and

several studio classrooms. It was 22,000 square feet in all, or less than

half the size of the library. The cost was high ($12 million) because of

the excavation needed to keep it from intruding into anyone’s view.

Driving down MacArthur Boulevard, you’d never see it.

The concept also included a 400-space underground parking structure

(with sod roof) that would serve the library, the arts center and a

possible park on the nearly nine acres remaining on the subject property.

A final aspect: It would have all been done with private money, at no

cost to the taxpayer.

JIM WOOD

Newport Beach

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jim Wood is a former member of the Newport Beach

Library Board of Trustees, where he was an original art center proponent.

Spirit Run should drop donor names

Is it just me, or are there other residents who are offended by the

awkward name change of the Spirit Run to the Leigh and Lucy Steinberg

Spirit Run.

I know the Steinbergs are modest and generous people, so why the

attachment?

The Spirit Run is a fun-filled run, put on by hundreds of volunteers

giving thousands of hours to benefit our local elementary schools.

I think we should save “naming rights” for buildings and professional

sporting events, not local fund-raisers. Change it back to the Spirit Run

and let the Steinbergs give quietly if they believe in the cause.

MARGARET JOHNSON

Corona del Mar