Ocean View Board Heeds Residents’ Concerns on Gymnasiums

Residents of four Orange County neighborhoods--angered they were not aware of proposals to build huge gymnasiums in their communities--were temporarily relieved Tuesday after the Ocean View School District voted to create an advisory board and rethink the district’s ambitious plan.

“Nobody is against building a gym,” resident Bob Devough told school trustees. “We are against this monstrosity that you want to build. Please don’t destroy our neighborhoods.”

Residents said they felt left out of the process when trustees voted in September to move forward with plans to build 18,000-square-foot gyms at each of the schools without getting their input. Still, most said they are generally supportive of the $12-million plan to build gyms at Mesa View, Spring View and Marine View middle schools in Huntington Beach and Vista View middle school in Fountain Valley.

“We’ve kind of done things backward and we’ve realized that. We had no idea how it would impact the communities,” said Carol Kanode, a school board member. Indeed, trustees apologized to the 200 residents who turned out for the meeting.

Supt. James R. Tarwater said the district tried to spread the word by advertising in local newspapers, meeting with PTAs and sending notices home with students.

He said the gyms would help the district deal with overcrowding. As it stands, the middle schools serve 3,100 students, who gather in small multipurpose rooms at staggered times for such events as band concerts. The gyms would provide a place on each campus where as many as 1,200 people could gather for conferences, sporting events, concerts and plays.

“This is for the children,” said Donna Alexander, a parent and volunteer. Without the gyms, students have no large gathering spot and are forced to eat lunches under trees or in classrooms on rainy days, she said.

To pay for the gyms, the district would use $4 million in reserves and borrow $8 million. The loans would be repaid with revenue the district collects from leasing out closed campuses and renting the gyms, Tarwater said. Opponents say the money should instead be used to upgrade schools.

Residents say they fear the gyms, especially if used on evenings and weekends, would worsen parking and traffic in neighborhoods. Neighbors said they object to the proposed height of the gyms, which at 36 feet would be taller than their two-story homes.

The 18-person advisory committee would serve for two years to review the effects of the gymnasiums, submit recommendations for their use and hours, and hear out the concerns of neighbors. It would be made up of residents, principals, PTA presidents, district officials and an environmental consultant.