Bullet for the bullet train and arts center quagmire

Shoot the bullet train. Period. End of story. Conceptually, a wonderful idea. That’s what the voters bought – the vision and the promise, a train speeding from San Francisco to Los Angeles with few stops and no airline hassles. The reality is a financial sink hole with a train stuck in the mud. The Gilroy City Council should have stuck to its guns and stayed on the no-confidence vote track. They should backtrack and quit spending time on a project that will be forever frozen in time.
Just in time to stave off the freeze, “Big Mike” Ayers, delivered a set of net Christmas lights as an antidote to the cold that attacks my citrus trees. Good thing, too, since it hit 24 degrees in my neck of the woods twice this week. Bought some more lights, sprayed the Wilt Stop and am  crossing my fingers. My Italian grandparents grew citrus trees, so it’s an archetypal endeavor for me, but having the citrus in winter is like running a daycare place for six – it’s a lotta work.
It’s way too much work for the Gilroy Arts Alliance to keep up with the new demands from City Hall. Why does it often seem to get into the “Us vs. Them” quagmire when it comes to business dealings with City Hall? This project seemed to be going along so well with cooperative efforts for the betterment of Gilroy. What happened? Here’s what’s in the Dec. 6 Arts Alliance newsletter: As we enter 2012, our first goal, and challenge, is to change the zoning for the Center for the Arts. Currently, we are still zoned for retail (remember the old Salvation Army store?) and cannot have assembly in the building without an approved Special Event Permit from the City. To do this, we potentially face a rather large, expensive construction project to bring the Center to seismic code. Without this project, we will be potentially reduced to 12 days out of 365 for anything that requires assembly in 2012.” Let us review: The city buys the land and former Salvation Army building for a future downtown arts center. Given the economy and a likely 15-year delay in new construction, arts groups propose a temporary center. Plans proceed, with the city’s assistance, and Don and Karen Christopher graciously step in not once, but twice, to give money – $135,000 total – to complete renovations. The building looks amazing, numerous events are held there, momentum is slowly building and, kaboom, the city lowers the hammer with further seismic safety construction demands and special permits for events. Why so late? What changed? The city knew theater, music and large events would be held there from Day One. Honestly, it boggles the mind.
So does the city’s move in shutting down the thriving former youth center at Sixth and Railroad for “seismic” reasons and opening a center at San Ysidro Park that’s apparently going to slurp up $770,000 for a building addition. That action is on the Council agenda for Monday night and one would hope that the action is faithfully challenged. How about a couple of bids to see what it would take to upgrade the former youth center? Former mayors Don Gage and Mike Gilroy worked hard to secure that building from PG&E and fund the youth center activities. Taking a second look is  the least the city can do. Perhaps the city could save $300,000 of the $770,000 and plow that into a host of deserved improvements for the community arts center.
You can Shop Local First and support the arts by visiting the arts center at the corner of 7th and Monterey and picking up a gift or two at the Artisans Gift Shop where there are woodcraft items, jewelry, hats, pottery, paintings and note cards all made by local artists – Tuesday through Friday 2 to 6 p.m., weekends open at 11 a.m.
Joining my ongoing local gift parade: a bottle or two of Frantoio Grove Olive Oil produced from groves in San Martin – it’s delicious and available at Rocca’s Market in San Martin and Solis Winery; a gift card from Gilroy Express Car Wash on First Street –  quick and thorough; a golf gift card for play at the Gilroy Golf Course and throw in a certificate for Heavy’s Grill that’s good for a hearty post-game meal and a beer with a friend; or consider a certificate for pet grooming at Sassy Pooch where Albert and Heather go the extra mile to take care of Fido.
Doggone, only one word to mutter while shaking my head after listening to MayorAl’s self-damning dais diatribe from Monday’s City Council meeting:  sanctimonious.
Shaking that sore subject off, you had to feel for the service folks who take care of gardens and pools last week. One walloping wind storm knocked just about every leaf from the trees with a fell swoop. The scene at El Roble Park is still wind-told with the grass covered in a glorious fall carpet.
Glorious kudos for the outstanding remodel at Rossi’s Auto on north Monterey Street. It’s really sharp, and befitting a place that handles automotive machine work and peddles hoses and fittings. It’s a great example of work that retains and enhances the character of a community’s downtown area. Nice going! Is there a beautification award that could be given? If not, there should be.
The Marines Toys for Tots Drive is a beautiful thing. It’s simple. Pick a tag from the tree at First Street Coffee. All the tags have the sex and age of a child who could use a Christmas gift. Buy it, wrap it, bring it back to the store with the age tag on and know that you’ve made at least a small  difference in someone’s Christmas.
Reach Editor Mark Derry at ed****@ga****.com