Our Readers Write: Tennis Club; parkland, parking and restrooms; pedestrian malls; more

Letters to the editor:

Tennis Club decisions weren’t based on race

After reading Ashley Mackin-Solomon’s article about the La Jolla Tennis Club, I feel angry and compelled to write (“La Jolla Tennis Club board faces backlash over ouster of Black and Asian tennis professionals,” May 20, La Jolla Light).

I am proud to be a member of LJTC and enjoy both tennis and interfacing with many friends at the club. I am not a board member, and nothing I write should be construed as an official reply or comment by the club or its elected board of directors.

I have seen our members treating all of our teaching professionals with great respect and friendliness for many years. I do not believe that suddenly our board would even consider race issues to be any part of their decision. It is not my purpose to comment about any board decision, except to dispel a rumor that “anonymous” sources may be claiming.

To be clear, I have great empathy for those management and pros who were let go or decided to leave, but for anyone to claim racial bias is ridiculous.

Barry Levine

La Jolla needs more parkland, parking and public restrooms

The proposed new public plaza at “The Dip” will activate La Jolla much more than the proposed Wall Street closure. Creating parkland and view corridors for the public should take priority over a few restaurant owners’ wish to take over public streets.

With the reconfiguring of Prospect Street, traffic naturally will reroute to the parallel block of Wall Street. Yet another reason to keep its vehicles flowing.

It is time to remove the pandemic private sprawl from our public streets. It is time to enhance La Jolla with public amenities!

La Jolla needs some stand-alone, self-cleaning restrooms.

Perhaps one could be located near Girard Avenue and Silverado Street? Perhaps another restroom would be at Torrey Pines Road and Girard? Many residents are affected by the lack of restrooms, but in particular, people with unique restroom needs such as pregnant women, people with disabilities and the elderly.

La Jolla needs to build a public parking structure. Parking is needed for restaurant/retail/service workers as well as residents coming to use Village services.

The high end of Girard Avenue at Genter Street might be a location to consider, with the use of a shuttle down to Prospect Street.

The approved vacation of Cuvier Street for the Recreation Center renovation adds parkland and land to The Bishop’s School, which is a compromise that enhances La Jolla.

La Jolla needs more than signage to keep it a functioning town.

La Jolla needs to put a priority into these non-glamorous infrastructure projects.

Brindan Byrne

— — —

Nothing wrong with livening up La Jolla

I read with interest your article on the possible Wall Street pedestrian mall (“Village merchants group stepping back from ‘rushed’ Wall Street closure plan,” May 20) and the somewhat related letter to the editor (“No reason to give Puesto priority over other businesses,” May 20).

In 2019, a letter to the editor floated the idea of a pedestrian mall in downtown La Jolla. In a letter to the editor, I supported this idea, saying that it, along with outdoor dining, would do a lot to invigorate our relatively moribund town. Remember, this was in the pre-pandemic days.

Then the pandemic occurred and outdoor dining became fun, lively and, dare I say, “modern,” despite losing those few parking spaces.

I am a senior and a 40-year veteran of La Jolla and I appreciate finally moving into the 21st century! Why not put up a parking lot or two (though I dislike paying for parking as much as the next guy) and have a vibrant and lively time in this splendid seaside village?

David Marsh

— — —

Outdoor dining should be encouraged

Although a recent letter suggested that Puesto not be allowed to continue outdoor seating, I think that adding outdoor restaurant dining areas adds to La Jolla’s quaint nature.

Having all of our infrastructure designed and based on automobiles is less inviting than outdoor seating. Some of the charm Santa Barbara and other locales are known for is their inviting architecture that features similar people-friendly designs.

Outdoor seating should be encouraged and expanded, not removed. Using a portion of a street for such purposes adds to the allure, not only of the particular business but also the entire shopping district.

Mark Heinze

— — —

Don’t forget reasons for Palestinian resistance

Thank you for mentioning that the current Israel/Palestinian conflict began in East Jerusalem with Palestinians resisting settlers expelling them from their homes (“Hundreds gather in La Jolla to show support for Israel in Gaza conflict,” May 20, La Jolla Light). This essential information is not always included in the media. Actually, the Israeli government has been behind the expulsions to give homes to their Jewish settlers and slowly rid the country of Arabs, the indigenous people.

The Zionist organizers of the May 13 rally [in La Jolla], true to form, obfuscated the conflict by misrepresenting Palestinian resistance to expulsion from their homes and property as anti-Semitism. There can be no peace until people hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people.

Ethel and Ed Sweed
San Diego chapter, Jewish Voice for Peace

— — —

What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in the La Jolla Light express views from readers about community matters. Submissions of related photos also are welcome. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher. Letters are subject to editing for brevity, clarity and accuracy. To share your thoughts in this public forum, email them with your first and last names and city or neighborhood of residence to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. You also can submit a letter online at lajollalight.com/submit-a-letter-to-the-editor. Letters without the writer’s name cannot be published. Letters from the same person are limited to one in a 30-day period. ◆