Editor:
We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the residents of Tharp, Rimer and the many streets which intersect with them for the luminario display that has become a Christmas Eve tradition in Moraga. The display was magnificent and amazingly uniform, with the ambiance disturbed only by the occasional streetlight.
The residents in these neighborhoods deserve a huge thank you for their creativity, organization, commitment and full participation, creating for all Moragans a magical moment. Those who were aware of the presentation drove through the neighborhoods slowly, quietly and in awe. The only sad part is that there was no public notice of such a grand event. We would hope that the media would remedy that in future years as a public service.
In addition, the fact that so many people of different ethnicity, religious beliefs, family traditions and holiday priorities could be brought together to accomplish such a singular objective not only challenges preconceived notions, but gives hope that the neighborhood of greater Moraga, or perhaps Lamorinda, can also be brought together to accomplish a common goal for the common good.
Frank and Nancy Comprelli
Moraga
Editor:
The City of Lafayette is about to vote on a spending proposal of $720,000 for a quarter mile long pedestrian trail. This trail will run parallel and about 10 feet from Murray Lane, which is a street that has very little vehicle traffic. There is absolutely no need for this trail. At a public meeting held on December 9, 2009, at least 20 people spoke against spending this amount of money on a quarter mile trail while one person was in favor of the idea.
The other part of this trail will go through the north end of the Lafayette Community Park with a trail made of crushed granite. Crushed granite looks like concrete and this trail will go though the area of the park that has been identified in the master plan as being left in its natural state.
Once they build a crushed granite trail that resembles concrete through this area, the natural setting will be lost forever. It will look like a $700,000 Yellow Brick Road.
Currently, the Parks Commission has over $700,000 that can only be spent on park improvements. According to one of the Parks, Trails and Recreation Commissioners, Jeff Peacock, "Lafayette has the money so let's spend it!"
It appears the Park Commissioners just want to spend the money and have nothing better to spend it on.
$720,000 is a lot of money to spend on a trail that basically goes nowhere; few people will use, and will forever urbanize a part of the park that most people want left in the current natural state.
John Briggs
Lafayette
Dear Editor,
The article on "Wood Fires," 12/23/09, missed the biggest polluter in Lafayette - Bo's BBQ! 24/7/365 smoke comes out of his chimney. Get Gayle Uilkema to do her job! Her office is 150 yards from Bo's!
A.H. Newton
Lamorinda
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA