Center Woes Burden Pasadena

It is of interest that only the Los Angeles Times (Feb. 7) has deemed newsworthy the financial woes of the Amateur Athletic Foundation-Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.

This is an especially glaring omission when the AAF-RBAC fell $360,000 short of its Dec. 31 note to the city, and reportedly wants to extend its payment plan from five to 10 years. This denies the city not only needed (and contractually obligated) revenue but also saddles Pasadenans with the interest payments on $4 million loaned to AAF-RBAC.

Furthermore, AAF-RBAC board member Nicholas Conway declared the default to be due to a decision to make $350,000 in improvements to Brookside Park.

Perhaps the concept of landscaping one’s home in lieu of mortgage payments makes more sense to Mr. Conway and his Linda Vista neighbors than to the other residents in Northwest Pasadena, where human resource assistance from the city is greatly and urgently needed and whose true access to the AAF-RBAC remains in question.

JAMES C. COOK JR.

CHRISTINA M. GUILLEN COOK

Pasadena