For over 20 years I have lived across the street from the Corona Del Mar High School football field.
I resigned myself to the congestion and noise associated with the start and end of the school day, the drum practices (like firing squad volleys over and over and over) and the occasional after-hours events.
I do think that maintaining the fields is important for the health and welfare of the students. I’d even support spending money to add restroom facilities. But the idea of adding lights and more stands can only mean the school district plans to use and/or rent out the main field for evening and night time events, and I have to cry “enough already!” to that.
Extending the noise and congestion in an area that is residential and crowded already is the epitome of not being a good neighbor.
I’ve attended a number of meetings hosted by the district, and can only say that if being disingenuous were an Olympic event, the district would take gold every time. There are so many schools in Newport/Costa Mesa that need money more than CDM, and for academic rather than athletic purposes.
To use those dollars for athletics at CDM does a great disservice to all the students and parents, as well as magnifying the existing problems in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Bob Montgomery
Newport Beach
