Letters to the Editor: Sep. 3, 2009

Enough with the trash

It is no less than a disgrace that the thousands of people who enter and exit La Jolla via La Jolla Parkway every day have to drive past a veritable dung-heap of trash along the entire roadway, from the throat to the freeway. The city and Caltrans are failing our community, as the presence of trash only communicates to every visitor that it is perfectly acceptable to dispose of their refuse on the way out of or town after a day at the beach.

Nothing less than the health, safety and pride of our community are at stake. Those with the ability to do something about this must take up the mantle of responsibility and make this right. If all else fails, close the roadway one day per month so that community volunteers who do care can get the job done.

Joe Dicks

La Jolla

Editor’s note:

Joe Dick’s letter prompted this response:To all concerned about this,

The way to request this litter pick up from the City of SD is to e-mail Environmental Services (ES) with a request at trash@sandiego.gov.

I will forward this e-mail to that e-mail address for a request ... so they can take care of this.

Any follow up should be directed to ES at (858) 694-7000.

Joel Rizzo

Traffic Engineering

Open the sluices

The article on seals by Mr. Barringer was great, especially the punch line which demanded action NOW.

Interesting was the mention of the original vents (sluices) in the seawall which were sealed after two children drowned in the backwash. (Editor’s note: In checking with people familiar with the history of the Children’s Pool, we’ve been unable to verify this event occurred.) The vents should have been screened and fenced off, thus allowing the waves to still clean the beach as originally designed by well-informed builders.

The opponents of the seals contend that the pollution which results from a lack of ventilation justifies removing our seals. So let’s do something now. Open the vents. This might solve our whole problem and put an end to a bitter and costly legal battle. The money saved might even afford a whole new, safe and functional sea wall.

Patricia Weber

La Jolla

A muddy situation

I was disgusted by the mud and grass run off in the Cove following our most recent summer shower. As a Cove swimmer for 25 years, I have never seen the Cove so murky. A week later, it still persists. The cause is the dilapidated condition of the “grass” above the Cove entrance. The area to the east of the bathrooms is now just a mud field, with an occasional grass patch.

A noticeable change is the daily presence of commercial dive companies that set down big tarps, coolers, chairs, and gear for groups of twenty plus. They pack up at the end of the day, pick up the tarps, and the grass is yellow and dying. These companies should be required to have some financial responsibility to restore the grass. Use of tarps on the “lawn” should be prohibited.

We all enjoy the grass, but maybe there are more durable solutions other than cement.

If steps are not taken to repair the lawn, the winter rains will certainly ruin the Cove and one of the Jewels of this community.

Diane Fons

La Jolla