Mile Square Park Now Falls Short

* The loss of Orange County’s multi-hobby space in Mile Square Park has adversely affected a great many Orange County residents, both young and old.

In our family alone we have lost the ability to take our grandchildren to the rocket area of the park, where they were learning about and launching missiles in a safe environment. There is nowhere else in Orange County where they can get this valuable education.

We have lost the space where our grandsons went to their Scout Jamboree.

We can no longer take our radio-controlled airplanes to Mile Square to fly them. This activity was the joy of my husband’s retirement years, as well as recreation for our son and daughters and their families.

When Mile Square Park was built our county government assured us that the use of this land would remain with the public. They are well aware that replacing public parkland with a privately operated golf course is a violation of the California Park Preservation Act of 1971.

When the Orange County Board of Supervisors bulldozed the multipurpose area of Mile Square Park almost a year ago and began constructing a private golf course, it agreed to set up another multipurpose area somewhere in Orange County.

This was an empty promise. All we have received are excuses and silence. When did we give these public officials the power to break the law? It’s time to stop this nonsense and take back what was given to the public trust.

DOROTHY L. McMILLAN

Orange