Balboa Park Lottery

It’s hard to believe how San Diego City Councilman Uvaldo Martinez can keep a straight face while he comments on Balboa Park and its future development. In reference to council approval for the Balboa Park Hotel he calls the plan a “link” between the park and downtown, and as a “positive trend to . . . provide access to Balboa Park. . . .”

For a clearer understanding of linkage between the park and downtown, Mr. Martinez might poll the employees of the building his office is in and/or some of the surrounding buildings to discover the number of people who either brown-bag to work so that they may consume their noon meal under a tree, or trod the turf whether at a jog or stroll.

He is, however, correct about access to the park. If we manage to surface the perimeter of Balboa Park, San Diegans could have their opportunity to visit the park restricted to some arbitrary method, such as a lottery. Perhaps that would be best, because a lottery is based on money, and all this development represents is commercial self-interest.

ART ROE

San Diego