A
few weeks ago, The United States Patent and Trademark Office approved
our trademark application for the words, "Community Hub". I thought
now would be a good time to do some explaining.
I
have worked in many different communities across the County of San
Diego. I consistently noticed people in every community, struggle with a
convenient and nice place to meet. A place for teachers, coaches, and
volunteers.
This
challenge was even more evident in poorer communities. As an SDPD
Patrol Lieutenant assigned to Mid City Division, I found out it was one
of the poorer and most diverse communities in the world. It is an
amazing place where over fifty-three different languages are spoken. In
one ten hour shift you are likely to encounter a cornucopia of beliefs,
colors, traditions, and of course foods.
You
could arrest a drug addict from east county wearing his Lakeside cowboy
boots and later in the same shift hear the high pitched war chant of
East Africans immigrants in a crowded apartment complex. Every shift,
day or night, it was an adventure. I recall only being there a week when
a Sergeant walked into my office and said a nationwide convenience
store chain was complaining about a group of older Somalian men who kept
hanging out in a vacant dirt lot next to their business.
That morning and
again several days later, I joined the group of Somalian men as they
drank their strong coffee and walked around or chatted in the dirt lot.
Like any community they were talking about local and International
politics, their children, their challenges, and their dreams . I
ultimately explained to the complainant, the men were doing nothing
illegal. In this great country, it is not unlawful to people to gather
and in fact, it is as natural as the sun coming up.
A few weeks ago
the County of San Diego held a public meeting at the Boys and Girls Club
in 4S Ranch. The workshop was on how to spend three million dollars of
our tax money at 4S Ranch Community Park. Disappointingly, only three
community members showed up to meet the architect, his staff and the
County of San Diego Project Manager. County officials then, "blew off"
the second planned public meeting due to, "lack of interest".
I guess, I really
don't blame them. In many ways we are spoiled. We are so busy texting,
emailing, and using social media,we really don't meet in person. It is
different talking with another person, face to face. You get a feel
for someone that does not convey in other ways.
I may be wrong,
but I think people who live in the area and use our parks are interested
and would like to meet the architect and share their concerns and/or
ideas. I don't think it is a leap of faith to believe we might actually
have a better final product if the users of the facility can provide
input.
The County of San
Diego ultimately agreed to give us a another opportunity to the people
bringing this improvement to our community. We offered to advertise the
meeting and host it in our Community Hub next to Brett's Barbecue and
the new Baskin Robbins, 31 Flavors. An important element of the Hub is
to help fill the gap since City Government cannot do it all. Our Hub is
also offered out free of charge to local non-profit groups.
This will likely be your last opportunity to comment on the proposal to
replace the entire north side of 4S Ranch Community Park with
artificial turf. Do you want more or less trees? What do you think
of the proposed field alignments? What color should the baseball fields
be where they inter-connect with the soccer fields? Will you be able to
bring an umbrella and if so how do you use one with the artificial
turf?
The meeting is
scheduled for this Thursday at 6:30 PM at the Community Hub located at
10440 Craftsman Way Suite #184. San Diego 92127(Click here for more details).
I could just
imagine walking into the old neighborhood off of University Ave and
saying there was three million dollars being spent in their community. I
think that dirt lot would be standing room only. I know they members
of that community would have something to say...
I hope we see you at the meeting and enjoy your week!
Ray & Theresa Shay
Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved. No duplication of this material without written consent of Shay Realtors.
than most. As a rookie cop, I was ordered to guard a man who only hours
earlier had committed an atrocious crime against all the members of his
family. In the awkward stillness of the conference room there really
was nothing for us to say to each other. We just periodically caught
each others gaze.. That evening and countless occasions since, I have
looked and or spoken with people who have committed unspeakable crimes.
Unfortunately, evil people do not have a specific color of skin, style
of hair or a certain look in their eyes. You just don't know. You really
never know where evil lurks. 
