Alternatives to shopping center

Dear Editor:What is our City Council thinking? ("Residents Sound Off On Tierra Luna Proposal," 1/5/12) Don't we already have enough eating places and decent grocery stores? Our movie theater is not filled by any means. I don't feel we need another multi-screen theater. As a suggestion already mentioned, why don't we get a good learning center for the ones who are not able to go on to college for various reasons? Not everyone who graduates from high school (or not) is always able to get "on the job training." They no longer have shop or some of the other manual art training courses in high school. This could bring in extra funds to the city and be worthwhile and more balance to our great city. We do not have a decent "teen center" in our lovely city and few places for teens to gather. We have no skating rinks. A good place for our youth can be a help in cutting crime too. The Downey Landing has been a great success, but why try to duplicate or replace it? We are getting another food court on Firestone Boulevard, why do we need another one? Most of our restaurants are struggling already. The competition in retail is so stiff at this time it seems foolish to build more of the same. What is the gain if we build one and close another? Let's try to do something with our great resources that will thrive and last and give our coming generations a wonderful legacy from the wisdom of our generation. We have lived in Downey for 58 years (before it became a city). We have seen many, many changes. Some good, some great and some not so good. Let's try and make sure the changes are better for everyone in our great city. -- Helen Wright, Downey

********** Published: January 12, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 39