Digging in their heels about the fairgrounds

Yes, the state has a budget crisis, but I don’t think selling the

fairgrounds is a good solution. The location of the fairgrounds is

already too congested and the current traffic isn’t accommodated by

the existing roads. Selling the fairgrounds and moving it to the

Great Park will only create more congestion in an already congested

area. Who knows what the buyer would build -- more development?

It is also important for the fairgrounds to remain in Costa Mesa.

It brings revenue to the city, public and nonprofit events are held

there and it is easily accessed.

The Great Park on the other hand, is not easily accessed except by

South County residents, is possibly a toxic site and the clean up

will take years. In my opinion the Great Park should not be built but

I’m obviously in the minority, as a few have convinced many that it

is a good idea.

PAT NANGLE

Newport Beach

What a wonderful idea for the Orange County Fair and for the city

of Costa Mesa. The fairground operations have outgrown the limited

space within Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa is in dire need of recreational

space. Merging the current fairgrounds space with the marginal

facilities at Orange Coast College, Farm Sports Complex, Costa Mesa

High School, Davis Elementary School and the nice, but limited,

facilities at TeWinkle Park, would bring a first class multi-use

recreational facility.

Keep the stables and the riding facilities. Integrate them to the

Back Bay by building a path down Mesa Avenue. Add a 50-meter pool for

OCC and Costa Mesa High Water Polo and Swimming teams, as well as

general recreational use.

Include the long-promised Skate Park and expand the Bark Park to

rotate space for grass rejuvenation. Add more tennis courts and

bleachers. Add more soccer fields and baseball diamonds. Link the

park to the rest of the city with well-designed and marked bicycle

trails east, west, south and north.

Include barbecue and picnic tables, centralized in the middle of

the park and away from the Mesa del Mar residences. Zone the corners

on Fair Drive for family-oriented restaurants, with tax revenue going

to park maintenance. Clean up the TeWinkle ponds and include zoning

for a cafe between the ponds and the tennis courts.

Parking would need to be primarily centered off Fair Drive, with

smaller lots spread throughout the park, but away from the Mesa del

Mar residential area. In fact, the Mesa del Mar homeowners should be

afforded a permit system to keep their streets from being overloaded.

BILL JORTH

Costa Mesa

Why is John Campbell advocating selling Orange County Fairgrounds,

located in Costa Mesa, and re-locating it to Irvine ? We don’t have

much open space left in Costa Mesa and the fairgrounds does help out

in that respect. Plus, what kind of development would we see if the

land were sold? Leave well enough alone.

ED BAUME

Costa Mesa

If the state of California needs money so bad, why don’t they

eliminate all the solar energy graft? It is awesome. Consumers and

taxpayers alike are being victimized by these sordid energy-saving

schemes.

It seems to me that Assemblyman John Campbell needs to do some

state house cleaning before he starts dumping our local treasures.

Our new governor is certainly making no effort to do so, in spite of

repeated requests. As an aside, the car tax would be far better for

Costa Mesa than the loss of the fairgrounds. That issue needs to be

revisited as well.

PAT WHITE

Costa Mesa

I think it’s very important that the fairgrounds stay in Costa

Mesa. We have too many things already scheduled for other places. And

we need to have something to do here for those who are disabled or

are unable to get around well. It would be too difficulty to go any

distance.

MAURINE C. MILLER

Costa Mesa

Should the fairgrounds stay in Costa Mesa? I would say absolutely,

yes.

It’s such an important part of Costa Mesa. It kind of puts us on

the map. It’s so wonderful to have that fairground and all that it

offers right here. We are just so thankful to have it here.

My other concern about it this is if we say yes, lets move the

fairgrounds to the Great Park in Irvine, then we’re encouraging

people to go ahead with the Great Park, instead of continuing the

hope of maybe getting the El Toro airport. Lets keep the fairgrounds

in Costa Mesa.

MARJORIE HOLT

Costa Mesa

I think it’s very important that the fairgrounds stays where it

is. Living in Newport, being raised in Newport, I have attended the

fair every summer. Now my children enjoy the farm. We go to Christmas

Company. We attend the antique shows. We do all kinds of things

there. And we are so thrilled that the concerts are now back.

We would not participate in anything out in El Toro -- it’s just

too far away. And it’s not a part of our heritage. The fairgrounds

has been there for 50 years and it should stay there. I’m ready for

all of this change to stop. We have a great community as it is and we

don’t need to change it anymore.

COURTNEY RICHARDS

Corona del Mar

I believe it would be a galactic mistake to move the fairgrounds.

Already, Costa Mesa has suffered for the lose of many distinctive

businesses that helped define the uniqueness of Costa Mesa such as

Kona Lanes and other property. The fairgrounds is basically the heart

of Costa Mesa and much history. It’s a great, great place to have a

lot of fun in all different ways. Campbell can take his idea and

shove it.

THAD SOLLOWAY

Costa Mesa

I think it’s an excellent idea for the Great Park to accept the

fairgrounds. When I was on the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation

Commission, I floated this idea before. This would answer a bundle of

our problems regarding sports facilities and the like.

We could do many good things with that land. And the property

would come relatively cheap due to a law that allows cities to

acquire the land for the cost of what the state paid for it. So it

would be a great, great move on our part.

KIM PEDERSON

Costa Mesa

Please keep the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, it is very important.

If you want to move anything, move the John Wayne Airport down to El

Toro. That’s were it belongs anyway. Tell Campbell to keep his nose

out of our business.

ROBERT WOLFF

Newport Beach