Our Readers Write: Pedestrian plaza, parking, fireworks, women in business

Letters to the editor:

La Jolla needs a pedestrian plaza

It is such a disappointment to see that plans are once again on hold for transforming Wall Street into a pedestrian plaza (“Village merchants group stepping back from ‘rushed’ Wall Street closure plan,” May 20, La Jolla Light).

This idea will be a great first step into finally transforming The Village into a real village — a village where just a couple of streets become wide pedestrian-only plazas with room for outdoor eating for the restaurants and coffee shops, room for benches for people to meet and socialize and room for musicians to play.

Puesto’s request is the correct idea, not just for them but for all the businesses in that area, and we need to picture what all the other stores and restaurants could do with this new open space (“Puesto La Jolla management responds to criticism of ‘placemaking plaza’ proposal,” May 27, La Jolla Light). Just think of what the Athenaeum could do with this pedestrian plaza right out front of its main entrance. If La Jolla does this correctly, this pedestrian plaza in The Village will become a true destination for locals, as well as tourists, and bring in the people to support our businesses.

However, all we seem to see in our local paper is people complaining that they will lose nine parking spots here and another five there. If parking spots are that important, why don’t we just knock down every vacant storefront right now (of which there are plenty) and create as many parking spots as possible? The way The Village is headed, there will be just vacant storefronts and empty parking spots directly in front of them.

But another thought is to trade a few of our precious parking spaces now for the incredible opportunity to create a real pedestrian village, beginning with Wall Street and then adding a block or two of Girard. With The Cove and Scripps Park just a couple of blocks away, this option will be the destination we can all enjoy. Every October and December, we block off almost all of Girard Avenue for the Art & Wine Festival and the Christmas Parade, and we do just fine during those days with our parking.

Furthermore, there is a great option for those that absolutely must have a convenient parking spot directly in front of the store they are visiting. UTC mall has just spent millions on renovating itself with new stores and restaurants. And as part of their complete renovation, they also built a brand-new, beautiful multilevel car park just waiting for you to conveniently park your car and shop.

Tony Schmidt

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La Jolla needs parking places

There’s no use in going to downtown La Jolla. There’s no place to park.

Roger Wiggans

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Let’s reopen our community with July 4 fireworks

I write this in regard to another lawsuit attempting to cancel the La Jolla Cove Fourth of July fireworks display.

I can understand and appreciate the environmental concerns. However, what are the consequences of us not being able to celebrate this proud day as Americans?

Rather than drag this through litigation, can we not find a solution for all La Jollans? We have been down the legal path in recent history and it did not stop the show, so let’s be proud as we reopen our community and country after a pandemic that devastated our community to our very core.

I write not as an individual with a current position or title in the La Jolla community but rather that of a new father. I believe we can all look back on fond family memories over generations attending annual Fourth of July fireworks displays throughout the United States. These are some of the best memories I have with my late grandfather.

The past 14 months have been challenging on all aspects of all of our lives. But those 20 minutes that the fireworks are displayed could allow us to put away our differences, conflicts and struggles to look up into the sky and enjoy this timeless tradition that started in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, for the first celebration of Independence Day.

Let’s celebrate that we have persevered through COVID and bring all our families together to begin an everlasting tradition as we look up in the sky over La Jolla Cove this July 4!

I will continue to fight and contribute to support the fireworks and look forward to watching them with my son this year and for years to come.

Note: I work as the guest services manager for the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and am the treasurer of the La Jolla Town Council. This is in no way an endorsement from the La Jolla Town Council or La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club of the fireworks.

Charles Merriman

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Women aren’t to blame for workplace inequities they experience

Thank you to Barbara Bry for her insightful column exploring gender inequities in the workplace (“Why does the pay gap still exist between men and women?” May 27, La Jolla Light).

However, I take issue with the conclusion of a study that she mentions, namely the notion that the women in the study had less “self-confidence.” That is a simple explanation, but not an accurate one.

When women exhibit the self-confidence mentioned by the study’s authors, it is often perceived in a negative light, presumably because those in power do not want to share power or resources with such women. This stands in sharp contrast to what often occurs when men exhibit self-confidence. Rather than being looked down on for presenting this characteristic, they tend to be perceived in a positive light and rewarded.

Women who are accomplished, well-educated and highly capable are not free to display self-confidence without penalty. It is a long-standing problem for such women — especially those without powerful male professional partners to shield them.

Gender inequities in the workplace do not persist because women lack self-confidence or suffer from “impostor syndrome,” and women do not shoulder responsibility for the inequities they experience. Inequities persist due to systemic practices that reinforce existing power structures and their underlying perspectives, attitudes and biases.

Liz Yoder

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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. ◆