First published in the Jan. 19 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
I listened online to the City Council meeting Tuesday, as I was unable to attend in person.
It came to me during the meeting, that in the past four-plus years that I have been involved with the “attempt” to have the city approve pickleball courts in our city, I have been blessed to welcome four new grandchildren to my family.
It is hard, then, for me to be reminded of the total lack of progress that has gone on in our city in the search for sites to put in a couple of courts.
The mayor’s comment in the meeting that the reason that courts were not approved at Discovery Park — even though at a meeting before then, it was recommended — was because you all decided the park needed to remain a passive park. So now I wonder why you all agreed so quickly [at the meeting] to use grant funds to put in outdoor exercise equipment at that park. Won’t that now make it an active park? Even a couple of courts there would make the park usable and be a benefit for hundreds of people instead of a handful who use it to read a book.
I am so discouraged at the snail’s pace that this city moves. I’m happy that you listen to all members of our community, but there’s something wrong when you all can’t make a decision on something that is important to so many of us here.
The idea that we should be content that the Community Center is putting in one court and the YMCA has courts so “we are trying to get there” is dismissive.
Please use some of the millions the city has in reserves to put in courts somewhere that will be used by so many of us. If you can put $350,000 into traffic lights that will replace ones that still work well, please consider expediting pickleball here, too.
Kathy Trumbo
La Cañada Flintridge
