Problems for CSUN’s Neighbors

Living near Cal State Northridge turns out to be a catastrophe every time the university leases any of the sports venues. This proved doubly true on March 18, when the track was leased for an invitational meet. There were at least 15 busloads plus cars jamming Lindley Avenue between Lassen and Halsted streets. There is adequate parking on campus, but nevertheless, cars spilled over into our neighborhood, complete with garbage and noise.

The only part of CSUN that communicates with us is the “community relations” department. From them, we get empty promises, and they wonder why there is so much distrust among the neighbors. In a Jan. 27 letter, we were promised that loudspeakers would be positioned facing away from the residential neighborhood, but once again, we were blasted out of our houses. We were promised that buses would drop off at Lot T on Lassen and at the conclusion of the event, would return to the track to pick up participants from within the campus. Buses were loaded and unloaded on Lindley, causing hazardous traffic conditions. There were other promises made, but not one was kept. We have come to believe that the university fails to require groups that lease facilities to uphold the university’s promises.

The campus was trashed and remained so throughout the weekend. Broken bottles and garbage littered the streets and fields. One shudders at the thought of what will happen if they build the proposed 9,000-seat multi-purpose stadium on North Campus.

We don’t object to sports, we object to the callous disregard of university officials. It’s time for someone to take responsibility.

HANS and PAULA PHILLIPS

Northridge