South County Folk Celebrate ‘No Jets at El Toro’

Lou Kanoke, 87, strolled along the serene Aliso Creek Trail, mesmerized by its uncluttered graveled walkway, the soft rustle of wind-blown reeds and the chirping birds.

“Listen to how quiet it is here,” said Kanoke, who has lived in Mission Viejo for 28 years. “Now imagine hearing jets every five minutes. It would drive you crazy.”

Kanoke was among 150 people, mostly South County residents, at a “No Jets at El Toro” event Saturday in Laguna Niguel to mark the anniversary of the closure of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Eleven cities in South County proclaimed Aug. 26 “Family Fun Day.”

“This is a celebration,” said Marion Pack, who organized the family event. “And it will be an annual event until the Orange County supervisors know that we don’t want jets at El Toro.”

The event, at the site of a proposed skate park on Alicia Parkway, included rides, games and a 5K walk, 10K run and 20-mile bike journey--all to help raise money for mailings to make people aware of the controversy, said Pack.

Two sisters, Katherine and Caroline Walters, sang “El Toro,” an adaptation of the song “Tomorrow” from the Broadway show “Annie.”

“El Toro, El Toro, no jets at El Toro. We’re only a vote away,” sang the girls, dressed in anti-airport T-shirts.

Moms pushed baby strollers along the creek, decorated with signs reading, “No airport development means better jobs, economy and quality of life.” Fathers and sons rode bikes. Grandparents strolled.

Kanoke took a break at nearby Foxborough Park with his son, Bob, and 8-year-old grandson, Pascal, and handed them apples. “El Toro needs something useful,” he said. “Something like this that the community benefits.”