If you limit the cars, you don't need beach garage

A parking garage proposed for Clearwater Beach? Gee, that is just what we need here - tongue in cheek, that is.

I keep asking myself questions.

Why is Clearwater doing its best to ruin a natural resource? The answer is, of course, they have already ruined it by overdevelopment, so they want to put the finishing touches on it. With a new parking garage eyesore, they are assured of blocking more of the gulf view.

When you drive on Gulfview Boulevard, you can barely see the gulf for which the road is named. You do see a sea of cars, both in the lots and parked on the street by the very lucrative parking meters so judiciously installed. But the lots are infrequently full of cars. No, I am not kidding. Drive there during the weekdays, and spaces abound. No problem parking on the off-times.

Why are the city fathers concerned about cramming more automobiles into Clearwater Beach? Do they want to make it more congested than it already is? Has anyone in authority ever heard of capacity limits or capacity exceeded? You fellows and gals ought to be thinking of ways to keep out more cars, not bring more in.

What in the world are you thinking of? Do you really want to turn Clearwater Beach into a mini-New York City?

It seems to this writer that the city fathers want to have their cake and eat it too. They want high-density housing zones all over Clearwater Beach and they want provisions for thousands of travelers' facilities as well. They want to cover the beaches with private high-rise condominiums, giving no public beach access, and they want the traveling public to squeeze between the buildings, clamoring for a spot on the beach after they park their gas-guzzling cars almost on the beach.

Now that Sand Key is completely covered with condos (except for the landfill, Sand Key Park), they now focus on south beach to see how they can ruin that. In spite of the high-density condo zoning with its high-density taxes, they still cry over finances.

The answer, alluded to above, is to restrict the number of vehicles allowed to travel Gulfview Boulevard after the parking facilities are full. Simple. Once the area is full, allow no more to enter. Remove the parking meters from the streets and allow no street parking in the beach area.

And, gee, where are the sidewalks on Coronado Drive? The city fathers were so shortsighted as to not provide for pedestrians at all on that road.

How about it, people? You folks cannot right the wrongs of previous administrations, but you can go a long way toward improving the situation today by not making it worse. You have a responsibility to the residents of Clearwater first. We absolutely do not need a parking garage on the beach, anywhere on the beach. Let the public know there is a real limit, and everyone cannot be accommodated wherever and whenever they wish. Bring Clearwater Beach back to life and start having some respect for human life.

We don't want another Sand Key

Re: Clearwater Beach parking garage.

Please leave Clearwater Beach the way it is. North Beach is going to look like Sand Key someday. We do not need a parking garage. If the city wants to spend more money, take the roundabout out. It causes gridlock no matter what they say.

Put soup kitchen near officials' homes

Re: Clearwater's homelessness problem.

Having lived in the part of town where the homeless people are a problem for years, and having read about Police Chief Sid Klein wanting to do the right thing, I think I have some suggestions to help.

I would suggest Mr. Klein step up to the plate and build a soup kitchen in his neighborhood. Or let's put one in Countryside - you know, near where the mayor lives. Relocate them all up there.

This would solve the homeless problem in downtown! And our city officials would be quite happy knowing they have done the right thing.

Where are kids' life preservers?

Re: Lessons on water, photograph and caption, May 30.

I am writing this as a concerned parent, grandparent and citizen, not just as a fire official. Living in a state where drowning is the majority cause of accidental deaths of children under 15 years of age, it is always a relief to see classes on water safety being presented by public facilities.

However, the picture with the caption headlined, Lessons on water, at first caused me depression, and then anger. Here is a picture of two adults, including Pastor Doug Kirk of First Baptist Church of Ozona/Palm Harbor, giving water and marine ecosystem instructions to nine children in three canoes, at least one filled with 10-year-olds.

And where are their personal floatation devices or life preservers? Why, they are in the bottom of the canoes!

My unsolicited advice to Pastor Kirk and his church is, first, make sure your liability insurance is paid up. And second, make sure the instructors of water-associated programs are qualified and committed to set a good safety example to the students.

We don't care to read that the Fire Department or U.S. Coast Guard had to pull nine beautiful little bodies out of the water at Howard Park.

Thanks for your caution and understanding.

Thanks for the memorable experiences

After I realized my more than 21 years with the city of Largo was almost half of my life, I understood why the community, the Largo Recreation, Parks and Arts Department and all of the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to know and build friendships with in Largo have meant so much to me.

I want to thank all of the supporters in the Largo community for making these years such a wonderful experience and for creating so many wonderful memories. One of the main missions of the Recreation, Parks and Arts Department is to create memorable experiences for our residents and participants and certainly all of those same people have done the same for me.

Thank you to the Largo Commission; Steve Stanton, Largo city manager; the Recreation, Parks and Arts Advisory Board; Partners N Progress for the Arts Foundation; Largo Rotary Club; all the city employees; and the hundreds of volunteers who have made the Largo Recreation, Parks and Arts Department so special.

I also would like to express my appreciation to the St. Petersburg Times staff who have for so many years supported the value of recreation, parks and arts services as a very important element of the quality of life in all communities.

It has been a wonderful career, and I wish all the staff, the many volunteers and community residents many more wonderful memories as they continue to enjoy the facilities, programs and parks which our city commissioners will continue to develop and create for the residents of Largo.

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