To the Menlo Park City Mayor, Council members, and staff, Thank you for the time and attention that many of you are giving to the MPSC with regards to the proposed plans set forth by a few Belle Haven community members and Facebook. My hope is that the seniors of the MPSC in Belle Haven will be represented and supported by the Menlo Park City Council. I am deeply grateful for the Menlo Park Senior Center and for your comments that reflected this support during the Feb.25th City Council meeting which I watched on video, as I could not attend. As a senior and Foothill College instructor there and at other senior facilities, I have honestly never experienced such a place of profound community connection, compassion, creativity, love, and involvement in multi-cultural / generation events and classes. This gem of a community haven needs to stay as it is, for the sake of the seniors who have called it their "lifeline," "paradise," and "second home". It is a testament to the tremendous work and care of city staff, volunteers, and the community members and seniors. It needs to be protected and appreciated, NOT demolished. The senior center could remain where it is now, and the community / youth center and new library could still be built where the Onetta Harris community building and youth center are now. This would save the seniors from the deeply distressful moving process to a still unknown location. If they are not comfortable with the "interim site" or the possible longer commute there, they will not go, so why force this on them? Historic buildings and Heritage Trees are given protection in Menlo Park. Please, Council members and staff, protect this MOST valued treasure for the community. Any architect (especially from the firm that FB hired) could change the plans and incorporate the existing MPSC. The pool, track and field are being kept as is, so do the same for the senior center which is currently fully used every week, year round, 6 hours a day, and any disruption could END that success. Most importantly, the loss of this valued place threatens the health, even the lives, of seniors, and the "new, improved" plan is an empty promise and cannot be the same. The proposed plans did not take into account many of the significant needs of the seniors. Did anyone from the architectural firm visit MPSC and interview staff and seniors? Once all the buildings are demolished, what if something is discovered, like toxic soil, or some other reason why FB might NOT be able to build? This is a possibility, and there is little trust in this process which is understandable when the seniors were left out of the initial planning between FB and a few community members. Thank you for acknowledging that during the council meeting and for responding to our concerns about rushing this process. Trust can be rebuilt, yet it will depend on your actions. Rather than letting FB demolish all the buildings at great risk of anything being rebuilt, Why not leave the senior center as a “good faith insurance policy” that FB will build a new community / youth center and library? It is best for the seniors' health, safety, and relaxation to have their own current building which is fully accessible and with their own, numerous restrooms, all on one, ground level. Will an interim site or the new building be able to provide this ? Many seniors, due to health issues, such as vertigo, cannot use elevators, and the proposed new building has services on 3 levels. Sharing one building with all the youth and community programs, along with the library, will be more crowded, with more noise, and less safety for those with mobility issues, as I and others have experienced in such facilities elsewhere. Please provide the leadership necessary on this issue and protect the senior center now, leaving it as is, saving the seniors from the disruption and stress of moving, and thereby responding to their concerns while still meeting the requests for a new community / youth / library facility in Belle Haven. With gratitude and appreciation for your attention, Patty Mayall La Honda, Ca. 650-815-9115 pattymayall_at_(domainremoved) Received on Sun Mar 08 2020 - 15:35:07 PDT
