Friday, July 13, 2007

Wild Rivers to be replaced with 3700 homes!


The Irvine Company has declined to renew the lease for Wild Rivers. In addition, say bye bye to Verizon Ampitheatre. The plans call for another 3700 cookie cutter homes to be crammed into lovely master planned Irvine. Here are some letters sent to the papers from the restless natives:

Irvine World News
July 12, 2007

MORE HOUSING BENEFITS ONLY
IRVINE CO.
When I chose to move to Irvine almost 34 years ago, it was the quality of life available in the city that was a large part of my family’s decision. Therefore, I read with disappointment the article in Saturday’s Marketplace section of the Orange County Register regarding The Irvine Co.’s decision not to renew the Wild Rivers water park’s lease. According to the Irvine Co.’s spokesman, Bill Rams, the land will be put to better use, “to provide future housing to meet the needs of the community."
When is enough, enough? Why does Irvine need 3,700 more living units that will add, using three people/unit, 11,000 more people to the city rolls? This will mean more city services and even more traffic and congestion. Where was the common sense of the city planners when they kowtowed to the Irvine Co. in 2006 and re-zoned the land?
Reading further in the article, one finds that not only will Wild Rivers be bulldozed under but the Verizon Amphitheater as well. These two venues provide relaxation and entertainment for the community. Are these not “needs” of the community, too? Since when is more housing more important than the physical and emotional wellbeing of the residents of the community to which relaxation and entertainment contribute?
The real need that’s not mentioned is the Irvine Co.’s need to make more money and the community’s emotional and physical needs be damned! If the land was re-zoned once it can be rezoned again if the city of Irvine really has the community’s best interest at heart and won’t allow itself to be bullied by the Irvine Co. again.
Stan Jones

The decision by the wealthy Irvine Co. to close Wild Rivers is atrociously selfish. The Irvine Co. determined that
the needs of the community will be served by providing more housing. The needs of the community are wellserved by the wonderful recreational attraction, Wild Rivers. More housing in Irvine will do the following: increase the wealth of the Irvine Co. and create a more drastic drain on water and electricity, which are already limited.
If there is anything the citizens of our city can do to change these plans, we should be informed and take action. Residents are in need of more recreational opportunities, not more automobiles on our roads. The Irvine Co. is unworthy of any respect from me.
Audrey Wicks


Orange County Register
July 11, 2007

Hoping for a river of money

The Irvine Co. will be closing Wild Rivers water park to make way for development "to meet the needs of the community" ["Wild Rivers to shut in fall," Marketplace, July 7]. However, the community neither wants nor needs 3,700 more condos and homes. "To meet the needs of the Irvine Co." would have been more accurate.

John Reiland of Costa Mesa

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can Wild Rivers be relocated to the Great Park?

That would make sense to have it there if possible.

Anonymous said...

How about the evil greedy Irvine Co. simply leave Wild Rivers alone. Like Orange County needs another 3700 homes plus more traffic!

Also, the owners of W.R. will be out millions to tear down the original locations and rebuild it somewhere else, even if they do get some free space at The Great Park.