Fontana City Council on Wednesday (Sept. 22) discussed, as usual, the "joys" of redevelopment and the "wonders" it brings the city. The Duncan Canyon Interchange/Overpass project, the most recent "crown jewel" in the making? Or is it really, as city council candidate Carlos Bravo stated, a "bridge to nowhere?" Or a wonderful way to bring more traffic congestion to an already untenable situation? Or more low-wage jobs to the area? Speaking of the joys of redevelopment, Rock Honda will be vacating its Sierra Avenue site for one along the "Miracle Mile," that stretch of the city along the 210 Freeway on the north end. Anyone up for a pool on how long the Sierra Avenue site, near the main gateway into Fontana, will sit empty? Will that empty lot be as "beneficial" to the city's core as the long-empty, former Sunrise Ford car lot, which also relocated to a redevelopment zone?
Or maybe mayoral candidate Bobbi Jo Chavarria asks the real question: How can a city redevelop an area that was never developed in the first place?
I guess that also begs the question: I thought the whole point of redevelopment was to attract business from other cities, not move them out of the city's traditional core areas. How does redevelopment stem blight in this instance?
Another irony at the Wednesday meeting: The city cannot be bothered to support residents of the unincorporated area near the Speedway in their quest to squelch an application to increase the allowable noise level of a dragstrip that residents contend was illegal in the first place(not our jurisdiction, former Mayor Nuaimi stated previously). However, the council voted to support a project to help another county resident with a "flooding" issue. As usual, no details were given about the person being helped. Friend? Relative? Political contributer? Developer buddy? Many in the community would love to be privy to how the council decides such things. After all, this is their city. too.
Labels: Duncan Canyon, Fontana, Fontana City Council, Mayor Frank Scialdone, Mayor Mark Nuaimi, redevelopment, Rock Honda, Sunrise Ford
As far as the relocation of Rock Honda and Sunrise Ford I think it is all about location. Lets think about this for a minute. The "old Fontana" as it affectionately is termed now used the be the hub of our city. My neighborhood (Mango & San Bernardino)and the whole area by the Sierra exit was the main strip and the main entrance into Fontana. Now, since the construction of this seperated "new Fontana" (Summit-Sierra Lakes area)our part of the city just seems to be an afterthought. All the new business is going in the new area of Fontana. What's going to happen to us down here who feel left out?
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