Wieder Regional Park needs to stay open, free

Thank you for the invitation to comment on your article regarding use

of Harriet M. Wieder Regional Park, including access via Overlook

Drive (“The kids aren’t all right,” Oct. 7). As 32-year residents of

Huntington Beach, my wife and I greatly enjoy the use of this park

area, including the access on Seapoint Avenue and on Overlook Drive.

These areas both provide access to valuable views of the wetlands and

ocean below as well as 180 degrees of the local area from this

elevated location.

We have been on Overlook Drive numerous times right up until the

10 p.m. hour and have enjoyed a relaxing and serene million-dollar

view of the night lights, stars, etc. without having to own an

adjacent million-dollar house to do it. We would prefer to keep it

that way. We believe that parks are critical to the enjoyment of the

area and that access should be pretty much unlimited; to allow

increased use by all residents as opposed to the apparent increasing

constraints that the over-controlling “special interest” minority

desires. We have never personally witnessed any objectionable

behavior by park users during our numerous visits, but if there are

concerns of perceived illegal activities, we are confident that the

local authorities can handle it adequately without depriving the

majority of their rights to reasonable enjoyment of this valuable

taxpayer resource.

I have empathy for the concerns of the limitations of privacy and

exclusivity by adjacent residents, but I believe the comments of

Police Chief Ken Small in your article that “if you live next to a

park you can typically expect some type activity” are valid.

* BUD GREEN is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to

“Sounding Off” e-mail us at [email protected] or fax us at (714)

965-7174.