City Hosts Workshop to Find Out What Residents Want Most in the Next 20 Years

The city hosted what is now part one of a community workshop Thursday night that sought ideas about the health and wellness component of the city’s general plan. And while the meeting left a lot to be discussed, it got to the root of what people wanted most—park improvements, sustainability and walkability.

One of questions was about the amenities that should be added to La Mesa’s public parks. While 70 percent of the group, three quarters of which were residents, responded with interest in individual active areas and community gathering spots, one concerned citizen brought up what she thought was the more pressing issue.

“I don’t care what you do with a city park,” said Kathleen Brand, a 10-year La Mesa resident and mother of two who mentioned her neighbors live next to the community park and have found needles in their backyard. “If the parents don’t feel safe, they’ll never let their kids go there. I won’t let the kids go there without me.”

This brought ideas from others about setting up volunteer opportunities that would circumvent the issue of funding. In other words, finding people willing to patrol the parks or teach a public yoga class in a newly created fitness area.

“If the word got out,” said one attendee, “I’m sure people would be willing to volunteer.”

Also among the issues of interest was the idea of greater accessibility to quality foods and grocery stores. According to the Center for Disease Control, fewer than one in 10 Americans eats enough fruits and vegetables.

“If you don’t have access to a place to get healthy, fresh food, you’re going to go to a 7-Eleven,” said Patricia Bluman of CityPlace Planning, an organization that works closely with cities to develop a general plan that enhances the urban environment. “So options to improve accessibility and availability to healthful food are the types of things that we’re going to be talking about.”

Bluman said one way to provide convenient access would be connecting the bus routes to neighboring grocery stores, or creating a city-organized sustainable garden. Another option would be to organize a local harvest location, where people with extras from their garden could share with community members who don’t have access to a garden or can’t properly tend to one.

One resident suggested the city plant fruit trees, an idea that seemed to resonate among the group. Deanna Reed, a San Diego County resident of 20 years, four of which have been in La Mesa, immediately agreed.

“If we’re going to spend money to water a tree, why not replace a regular tree with a fruit tree on city properties?” she said. “I mean, we’re going to water the tree anyway.”

She said if that were done, even homeless people would have something to eat because they could get an orange or something off a tree.

“I like the small-town feel of La Mesa,” Reed said later, “I’m from Alabama for 20 years and that’s where I get my sense of community from.”

Among other topics of discussion was La Mesa’s overall walkability and how to improve it.

“Just last week the city was awarded four grants through SANDAG, which are going to allow us to develop a citywide park master plan,” said Yvonne Garrett, the city’s assistant manager. “That’s going to look at how our parks maybe need to be modified to encourage people to want to go them.”

Currently, city standards state that every neighborhood will be within a mile of a park, though Garrett said studies have shown that those who live a quarter-mile within a park are much more likely to use them on a regular basis.

Jill Richardson, a freelance journalist who’s lived in La Mesa for a year and a half, mentioned that it’s not only the distance to the park that is of concern, but the bikeability or walkability to that park.

“It’s us without the yard who also don’t live near a park,” she said. “My roommate has kids and when you put them in a park they run around like crazy. But we have to get them there.”

After two hours of active discussion, it was determined by attendees and the program officials alike that another meeting should be held to further discuss the ideas.

“(Everyone was) just really, really engaged and had fantastic ideas,” said Bluman. “It’s really wonderful.”

Richardson said she was also pleased with the general tone of the meeting.

“We weren’t hearing a lot of negative things,” she said. “Everyone was working together toward the same common goal.”

Brand, a self-described progressive, said she thinks the city is off to a good start, but there’s a long road ahead.

“I think we need to talk more about our open space, our community gardens,” she said. “The city needs to make those connections for us. There needs to be communication between the city, schools, non-profits and volunteers to make everything happen.”

As someone who’s lived all over the country and carefully chose La Mesa for its schools and community assets, Brand said she’s here for the long haul.  

“I’m within what I call walker distance of the senior center,” she said,  “So my husband and I plan on taking our walkers down there when it’s time to learn to polka on Friday nights.”

No formal date for part two of the workshop was scheduled, though Bill Chopyk, director of community development, said it might be in a month or two.