YORBA LINDA : Some Are Unhappy About New Center

The Yorba Linda Community Center officially opens Saturday, and not everyone in the neighborhood is pleased.

With its 317 parking spaces, the community center could be seen as bringing much-needed parking to the area. But some residents on the east side of Casa Loma Avenue and surrounding streets say that benefit will be offset by an increase in traffic and noise.

The 28,000-square-foot community center is the fifth public facility on the west side of Casa Loma between Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway. The others are the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District education center, City Hall, Yorba Linda Middle School and Hurless Barton Park. Valley View Sport Park, with several baseball and soccer fields, is immediately west of the school.

“Casa Loma can’t handle any more traffic,” said Kathy Corcoran, who lives on Ladera Circle, across Casa Loma from the community center. “Already we have to put up with the park and the school.”

“The city puts on some great events here but it comes with a price that we have to pay,” said Nola Piper. “I know we need these facilities but it doesn’t seem right that we get dumped with so many of them.”

Other residents like living near the concentration of public buildings and amenities. Kris Widdison of Meadowview Drive said his family enjoys the close proximity to city and school facilities.

“We have five kids, so we derive a lot of benefit from being so close to everything,” Widdison said.

Judy Hahn, who has lived in the city for more than 30 years, said the facilities are necessary to keep youths occupied and provide a place for community groups to gather.

“Where else should the city put the community center?” Hahn asked. “I would just as soon see the city the way it was when we first came, but since it’s changed, you do have to have these facilities.”

The grand opening ceremony will start at 10 a.m. Saturday. Refreshments will be served.

The $6-million community center will serve as a meeting place for senior citizens, the Yorba Linda Women’s Club and youth and community groups. The city also plans to schedule a limited number of afternoon and evening recreation classes there and has already booked 30 wedding receptions for this year.