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Use the wetlands as a park
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A few months ago, I met a valiant young man who was fighting for what appeared to be a lost cause — saving the Newbury Park wetlands. The young man is Clint Matkovich and the parcel of land involved is the 39 acres adjacent to Highway 101 between the Wendy Drive and Borchard Road exits on the south side of the highway.
This piece of land may seem insignificant to some, but it is a symbol of something more important — preserving our local environment.
When I first moved to Newbury Park 27 years ago, every day was like paradise. The sky was sparkling blue and you could see hundreds of stars at night. You could look around and see yourself surrounded by unblemished green hills.
Then the pro-development people took over the City Council. Now, the air is a little dingier, the hills carved up and built on, and some of the same pro-development people still reign on the City Council. Of course every election they run out and print a bunch of signs telling everyone how they are for "slow growth," but after the elections, they go back to their same policy of approving development.
Developers are now so set on building on this piece of land right near the freeway, that they want to completely ignore the fact that it is unsuitable for development. For one thing, it is in a flood zone.
It would better serve the community if it were bought by the city and developed into a park for the enjoyment and enrichment of the Newbury Park community.
A park-like green zone along Highway 101 would best serve the community and be a buffer against the noise and pollution of the highway.
— Sue Gunther lives in Newbury Park.
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