What Could Be Worse Than a McDonald’s in Hillcrest Park?
How about a taxpayer-subsidized McFullerton to compete with non-subsidized local eateries. It’s Fullerton. it’s Redevelopment. It’s not impossible.
Seriously, could our city council really be contemplating a commercial restaurant in Hillcrest Park as part of the new Master Plan?
Well, why not? They’ve shown a total disregard for the park an historic resource over the years; for the Community Services Department Hillcrest Park “revitalization” has merely been an exploitation opportunity over the years, much as Downtown Fullerton has been for the Redevelopment Agency employees. So why not?
Your MickeyD’s is waaaaaay too cool looking for McFullerton.
WHAT DO WE WANT? FAKE McSPANISH!
WHEN DO WE WANT IT? McNOW!
How many restaurants do we have in Fullerton already? Is there a shortage of some kind that requires government intervention?
If I owned a restaurant nearby I would be raising hell.
Only in Fullerton!
What is next? “Club Med” for the three Grandpas?
If we really need a restaurant in that park then the city should sell the land to the highest bidder and give the proceeds back to taxpayers.
9 out of 10 new restaurants fail in the first year.
There is no need for our government to pursue an entrepreneurial adventure in the extremely risky world of restauranteering.
We are no longer mere taxpayers. Now we’re involuntary shareholders with zero control and bottomless pockets.
Horray Redevelopment.
How many Republican councilmembers approved this plan?
Hey, quit carping you complainers!
It’s just an improvement, to make things easier for park visitors.
I’ve got another idea to make Hillcrest Park more user friendly. We could bulldoze it flat and then pave it all and paint lines on the concrete designating where bike riders could go and pile their stupid helmets and also have other places for normal people (i.e. who don’t work for the government). ; – )
Again Redevelopment is a good thing. Abusive projects aren’t.
Wow, you mean you can separate the two things? They always seem to go together.
Please cite an example of a Redevelopment agency that operates without abusive projects? Bankhead always says “Fullerton”, but we know that’s a bald-faced lie.
Unaccountability and the protensity for abuse are inherent to California Redevelopment law. It was designed that way because that’s how those government types like it. The only fix is to eliminate it.
What Could Be Worse Than a McDonald’s in Hillcrest Park?
uhhh … a McDonald’s in Muckenthaler?
I’d like to see a fern bar or a Starbucks there.
Terry, what the hell is a “fern bar?”
As long as it’s got a red tile roof I’m okay with it.
Or brick veneer, of course!
There is a precedent for a restaurant in a park, Summit House, therefore this effort by the City has got to be tracked so it won’t happen in Hillcrest. The revenue, whatever it is, goes into the General Fund, not designated for parks
The Summit House deal was a scam perpetrated by Ackerman and his pals Bankhead and Catlin. The revenue was going to pay for the park. The only trouble is there really is no park – just native plants on the hillside that nobody would ever go to. Godawful building in a non-existant park. Typical Redevelopment failure formula.
I seem to remember Norby and McClanahan voting against it.
It’s not my fault. The city staff MAANDATED it.
The good news is with Tony’s restaurant experience, the city has agreed the best person in town to run operations at Hillcrest Park would be none other than “Mr. Fullerton” himself Tony Bushala.
The brightly accented “Glope Agujero” restaurant will feature fine dining for the more culturally sensitive single men in our community. According to Tony, “we single men need a place together and share ideas and stuff”. The Glope Agujero translated means “Blow Hole” Tony said in keeping with the long history of Hillcrest Park and his experience. The name just seemed to come out of his mouth.
Oops! Some FPOA member is revealing his true inner man!
Homeless people eating the ducks.
Tony Bushala eating the ducks.
I was referring to Don Bankhead’s stated reason for getting rid of the duck pond. I guess he still expects the park to host homeless people, but they will have to buy their meals at the park’s restaurant like everyone else.
I assure you, Bankhead’s only experience of that park was cracking hippie skulls there back in the 1960s.
For years the cops put up with all the pervs and creeps in Hillcrest Park.
I always wondered why.
This is such bull shit. No on is going to put a restaurant in the park. There are not enough customers to make it worth it. Jesus.
Here’s a chance for Tony to be part of the process.
FULLERTON – Community members are invited to help select a design consultant for a major city project.
A meeting scheduled Monday will include interviews of three consultant team finalists on their proposals for developing a vision and plan to guide the future development of downtown and its six major entry streets.
The three consultant teams will be interviewed by the public and an evaluation team made up of 10 community members and seven city staff.
“This is plan is citizen-based, so it only makes sense that the citizens are integrally involved with the selection of the team that will be working with all of us over the next 24 months,” said Heather Allen, city planning manager.
The three teams are PBS&J, RRM Design Group and ELS Taecker.
“By creating detailed standards that are aligned with the community-based vision, the design and review process for future projects will be improved as there will be more clarity and direction for all parties,” Al Zelinka, the city’s director of community development said in a statement. “Selecting the right consultant for this project is extremely important, and we have intentionally created a process where members of the community will be involved in the decision.”
Those in attendance will hear presentations from each team and will be able to ask questions, Zelinka said.
Community members also will have the opportunity to fill out evaluation scorecards for each team. The evaluation committee will review the scorecards and decide on the best consultant team for the project. That recommendation will go to the city council.
City resident Judith Helfman applauded the process.
“I think it is refreshing that Fullerton is giving its citizens a voice and a vote in the process of selecting a contractor or consultant,” Helfman said.
Interviews will be held from 4-8 p.m. at the city’s Maintenance Services Department, 1580 W. Commonwealth Ave.
What a bunch of happy horseshit.
Just another one in a series of five-year master plans. We’ve had about four of then since 1990. They just gather dust until the next one is stacked on top.
But following them is even worse than ignoring them. Just look at the SoCo West and Jack Franklyn’s Subsidized Circus.
“The three consultant teams will be interviewed by the public and an evaluation team made up of 10 community members and seven city staff.”
I can tell you that those 10 “community members” will have been pre-selected for their willingness to go along with whatever the Redevelopment and Planning staff really want.
I’ll bet some of them even include former city employees like Linnell or Galvin.
“I think it is refreshing that Fullerton is giving its citizens a voice and a vote in the process of selecting a contractor or consultant,” Helfman said.”
uhh …. right … the city will listen and then say “F” you very much – we will do what WE want to do.
It is much easier to criticize than to contribute, after all that is the true spirit of this Blog.
A pea-brained comment. Fullerton has muddled through most of it’s history with little dissent. Criticism is a contribution when geriatric self-satisfaction and denial has set in.
BTW, tell us: what have you contributed – except going along for the ride with everybody else?
The proposed “cafe” would be on the lower level near the duck pond and Lions Field.