Publication Date: Friday, May 06, 2005
ReaderWire
ReaderWire
(May 06, 2005)
Walking with a purpose
Artists in Action and the Community Breast Health Project (CBHP), based right here in Palo Alto, invite you to walk with us in the May Fete Parade this coming Saturday morning (May 7).
Our group will be called "For the Love of Mom" and welcomes any families that have been touched by breast cancer (or any willing to join us in support) to walk with us and help raise awareness for this fabulous support organization. If you can let me know you are joining us, I will try to get CBHP t-shirts and balloons for everyone.
More info about Artists in Action can be found at www.carinascreationsjewelry.com. More info about the Community
Breast Health Project is at www.cbhp.org. Artists in Action will also be holding an art boutique fundraiser for CBHP this Friday evening and Saturday afternoon after the parade.
Please come by and browse, pick up breast-health literature, buy a pink pin or fund a mammogram for a woman in need.
Carina Rossner
Webster Street, Palo Alto
Need more than Mayfield
Back in the 1980s, enrollment in our schools dropped and as a result a number of our school campuses were sold off -- so not only did we lose those properties, we lost the playing fields as well.
School enrollment is once again on the rise, which means that more children will be participating in sports. Add to that the fact that more girls than ever before are playing in organized sports.
The Mayfield agreement is a good start toward supplying our community with much-needed playing fields, but it's just a start -- more needs to be done.
The restructuring of the golf course will provide the city with an opportunity to help meet the increased demands of an overburdened system.
Pat Markevitch
Emerson Street, Palo Alto
Park progress
I walk with my children through Mitchell Park almost every day on our route to and from school. We have made a project of watching the progress of park renovations that are underway there.
It has been fun watching the new irrigation systems being laid (replacing an ancient-looking system), the playing fields being repaired (less pooling water in the soccer fields), the replacement of broken asphalt, installation of new park furniture and trellises to replace termite-ridden structures.
Now all the lights are working and in good condition again, making the park a more pleasant evening destination. It looks as though the concert-bowl area is now more accessible and more attractive. The new walking paths are much better -- no more puddles blocking our school route.
We are very excited to see all of the beautiful new trees and plants shading and beautifying the upgraded walkways, sitting areas and play equipment.
A big thanks for renovating this heavily used, aging park. Our family has noticed that the city is making similar improvements to parks throughout Palo Alto. Thanks for this stewardship of our treasured shared open space.
This is money well spent.
Penny Ellson
El Capitan Place, Palo Alto
Tour-worthy tunnel?
The new PAMF-Homer Street tunnel is indeed exceptionally nice. The split-level tunnel, with separate pedestrian and cyclist entrance and exit ways, features deep concrete texturing.
The 24-hour illumination complex, consisting of hundreds of individual fixtures, is worthy of Disney. The exuberant brilliance of the designers puts to shame neighboring Menlo Park's modest attempts at civic improvement.
The landscaping alone puts this on the "must see" list of Palo Alto's home and garden tours. I am certain that the Palo Alto Tourist and Convention Bureau will add this tunnel to its short list of destination resorts within the city limits.
Modern Tunnel and Tube, in their cover story, will probably say something like, "Palo Alto's new train-track under-passage raises the bar for all future subterranean structures." The only downside I can see will be the increased diesel fumes from the tour buses.
Naysayers who think the $5 million could be better spent feeding the homeless in Palo Alto or making the antiquated Caltrain crossing gates work properly should sit cross-legged in the center of the tunnel until they see the light, or are killed by a cyclist, whichever comes first.
Kim Rubin
Cambridge Avenue, Menlo Park
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