[Editor’s Note: These poetic musings are deemed appropriate as activists sift through their thoughts following this week’s approval of the Entrada Tower Office plan.]
I went to a meeting the other day
Of a group of citizens involved in a fray
Over redevelopment that causes strife
And interferes with our daily life.
They are not Culver Cityites, but neighbors just the same
And they find themselves like we do caught up in this little game
Of redevelopment projects popping up in new locations
Catching us unaware of the latest machinations
To build a great, huge building, one that blocks out the light
And promises more cars adding to the traffic blight.
Our neighboring communities are concerned as are we
About gigantic buildings, higher than most of our trees
In many of the neighborhoods where we’ve lived for 40 years
And in the communities where we’ve really had no fears
That our officials who we so carefully elected
Would work long and hard to see our cities perfected
Now many of the redevelopment projects in the past
Are wonderful buildings and designs meant to last
It’s just the latest flurry in the past few years
To build without much thought that has really stoked our fears.
Progress is all important, but must be well planned
Or community cohesiveness will get out of hand
“No community is an island,” said a neighbor as I left
And I thought, “She’s right, if one gets hurt, we all will be bereft.”
So if we mean to make a change, we have to work cooperatively
“If we don’t hang together, we’ll most assuredly hang separately.” *
* Thank you, Benjamin Franklin for what you said as the American Colonies were gearing up for the Revolution.
The witty Dr. Hoult resides in Carlson Park with her husband Charlie. She may be contacted at HOULTight@aol.com
