Another study won’t solve the problem

By Jerry Andrews

Now that For Sale signs have sprouted from the old courthouse site, the first question that comes to mind is what is the Council spending $39,000 for, as if another study is going to tell them something they do not already know. Perhaps it will be a great revelation to them that the new Wal-Mart at Lakewood Blvd. and Rosecrans is going to decimate Bellflower, much of Paramount that it is supposed to save and will surely be felt in Downey. Stonewood is concerned and justifiably so; Wal-Mart is a very predatory marketing force. The consultants will tell us to counter with a new Redevelopment development that “will be a catalyst for further development and revitalization of the Firestone corridor.” The same kind of catalyst all the previous projects have been?

If they want to sell something, let’s put For Sale signs on three other properties that belong to the City. The Uniroyal tire store on Firestone. The Main- stream Tire property across from Stonewood west of Arby’s. The old Shell station property on Florence and Fairford where Penske Chevrolet is located. Shouldn’t these be For Sale also?

We, the taxpayers of this town, bought that courthouse lot. Why don’t we just keep it and put some greenspace downtown. Some citizens are so jealously guarding the greenspace at Wilderness Park. Why don’t we create some greenspace downtown where we have none. The narrowing of La Reina on the west side of the demonstration block south of Firestone has to be the joke of the decade. It has the concrete look of New York greenspace, although the few trees are very beautiful when blooming.

If the city wants someone to build something downtown, the lot across the street to the west from the old courthouse site would appear to be a prime candidate. Perhaps the city could facilitate the process for some useful purpose. We don’t need a consultant to point out we need two things downtown; people (housing) and a place to play (park). Once that courthouse block is sold, it is gone forever. If the people of Downey want to leave a legacy to their grandchildren, now is the time to stake out their claim and do it.




End Article as printed August 27, 1993