Attn.
Karly Katona, Senior Deputy to Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
Joe Mendoza, County Parks and Recreation Dept.
Dear Joe & Karly,
It is very disappointing how L.A. County Parks & Recs and representatives of County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas won’t commit to any of the so called “negotiations” in writing, and you would not return our calls.
You did not even have the decency to advise the seniors and youth last Friday of your decision to close the pool — and you would hide the truth about the real reason for draining and closing the pool behind a handwritten sign indicating “closure of the pool [was] due to mechanical failure.”
To this date, Mr. Mark Ridley-Thomas will not honor the request to meet with the Victoria Park community or show his face to tell the constituents of the Victoria Park that he has no intention of investing any resources in the community in and around Carson.
I was surprised Mr. Ridley-Thomas was even willing to miss his own Town Hall meeting last Wednesday to avoid face-to-face interaction with the Victoria Park pool users — kids and seniors who were waiting for him outside of the meeting room.
I will share with you that the coaches from one of the high schools were supporting the protest.
They confirmed that everything that Mr. Mendoza has been telling us about the high schools of not having funding for transportation this year is false.
It is disgusting to see how the County can shamelessly waste taxpayer money in renovations of Mr. Mark Ridley-Thomas’s offices but wants to show “savings” by closing facilities like the Victoria Park pool, shutting away the most defenseless of our community, our kids and elderly.
Please share this message with Mr. Ridley-Thomas and inform him that I am copying the media on this email.
Hopefully this time if the media inquires about our organization, he can be truthful in clarifying that the Aquatico Swim Club is not a “foundation,” just a group of parents concerned about the health of our kids and elderly trying to keep the Victoria Park pool year around program available to the community.
This is something he told us he would do for us. Please let him know he has lost my vote and the votes from many others in the community.
I think you have reached your goal of separating the groups and ultimately closing the pool. We will be following Karly’s recommendation of using the Jessie Owens pool starting today at 5 o’clock.
Please inform the pool manager so arrangements be made for the Aquatico Swim Club accordingly.
Juan Torres of the Aquatico Swim Club Committee may be contacted at juantemail-swim@yahoo.com
