With New Leadership, a Chance for Dialogue on Stadium

Since the fall of 1993, my family and I have lived off Lemarsh Street and west of Lindley Avenue, near the Cal State Northridge North Campus Stadium. One of the major reasons we moved to the neighborhood was its proximity to an institution of higher education, as well as to Northridge Park and shopping centers. We knew when we moved, however, that living so close to a university such as CSUN, compromises would have to be made.

It’s unfortunate that a small contingent of neighbors over the past few years has begun to harbor great resentment toward the university.

“They,” the thinking goes, cause fans attending football games and other events to park on “our” streets, so that we can’t park in front of our own apartments, townhouses or homes. “They” tried to propose a 28-acre strip mall that would have increased traffic and noise, compromising what little privacy we have. “They” continue to discuss plans for an 8,500-seat stadium that could bring even more traffic and noise to an already busy neighborhood. “They” appear to demonstrate no respect for neighbors surrounding the university.

Neither my family nor I would dispute that university actions may have contributed to the perception that CSUN sees residential neighbors as but small irritants standing in the way of recovery from the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake.

But “they” are a university striving to fulfill a mission of education and service to the community. They are just as much a part of Northridge and the larger San Fernando Valley as we are. The university serves as the employer to thousands of faculty, staff and administrators who themselves are members of the community. “They” are also residents, concerned about privacy, noise and crime in their neighborhoods.

The habit of grouping and labeling administrators as heartless and emotionless advocates of the university must stop. The relentless not-in-my-backyard mentality must cease. We only hurt ourselves and our potential for a better interactive community by criticizing when we could be starting a new dialogue with new university leaders.

It’s time to come together and discuss rebuilding a badly needed on-campus stadium, making it a state-of-the-art facility that both the university and community can be proud to support.

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Let us discuss the possible uses of the remaining land on North Campus with optimism and excitement, not futile pessimism. Remember that the university did show concern for neighbors’ feelings when it reconsidered a proposed shopping complex for a biotechnology center instead.

A recent Times editorial stated, “It’s time for someone to take responsibility” for the problems that face CSUN neighbors. The editorial was right. The responsibility lies in accepting the role we acquired when we decided to move next to a four-year university established more than 40 years ago.

There is hope for the future success of community relations between the university and private residents. You just need to believe.

New leadership is in the horizon. A new president, Jolene Koester of Cal State Sacramento, and two new vice presidents will begin work in the summer. It’s a whole new football game with a new team captain. We need to take the opportunity to utilize it.

A committee is being formed to discuss a master plan for North Campus. We have a chance to voice our concerns about use of the stadium and other facilities. We must trust that the outcome will benefit us as much as the university.

And what will be different this time around? Knowing Koester’s record as an effective communicator, we’ll finally be on the same team.