The Weekly Newspaper of Torrance Herald Publications - Torrance, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 5, No. 14 - April 2, 2015 Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.....................10 Classifieds............................4 Crossword/Sudoku.............4 Film Review..........................3 Food.......................................7 Legals....................................9 Police Reports.....................3 Real Estate.........................11 Sports....................................6 TerriAnn in Torrance..........2 Weekend Forecast Kiwanis Hosts Celebration of Community Luncheon The Kiwanis Club of Torrance held its 8th annual Celebration of Community Luncheon, which honored community non-profits and philanthropic organizations throughout the South Bay. Pictured here are Camilla Seferian, board member of the Torrance Education Foundation, and Dee Hardison, former Mayor of Torrance. For story, see page 2. Photo by TerriAnn Ferren. Friday Mostly Sunny 79˚/58˚ Saturday Sunny 75˚/55˚ Sunday Sunny/ Wind 66˚/52˚ School Board Approves Site for Aquatic Center; Design Yet to be Determined By Cristian Vasquez From the Torrance City Council chambers, members of the Torrance School Board approved the Shery site [2600 Vine Ave.] as future site for the Torrance Aquatic Complex. In a council chamber full of parents, coaches, little league and softball league presidents, as well as the children that play in those leagues, the members of the Torrance School Board took in a presentation by Paul Westberg of Westberg White Architecture where several sites were proposed for the placement of the district’s aquatic center. Tuesday night’s board meeting was relocated to accommodate the large volume of residents seeking to voice their opinion about which sites should not be considered for the swimming facility. Prior to opening public comment, School Board President Don Lee asked that everyone present view the presentation and allow the board to ask questions. The residents present at the meeting, the vast majority of which opposed the establishment of the facility at the existing Hamilton site [2606 W. 182nd St.], and the Levy site [3420 W. 229th Place], sat through Westberg’s presentation as he discussed the pros and cons of each site that was evaluated. Of the three proposed sites, the existing Shery site was the one that would produce the least amount of negative effects due to construction and would only require the elimination of one softball field, and the “modification or relocation of one district shelter within” the grounds department yard. In addition, the Shery site already has the required parking space for an aquatic facility and would not require the building of a new structure. Good access to the site from “existing adjacent major arterial, secondary access for team use and drop off” was also favorable qualities to the selection of this site. Due to the available land area, one baseball field required would be required to be relocated. However, the Levy and Hamilton sites, which residents present were adamantly opposed to required more severe losses and addition work. The Levy site would have removed one baseball field while compromising the size of a separate field, as well as requiring the removal of three or four grass playing fields, which would have limited the ability to play soccer and other sports. The Hamilton site would have required the removal of four existing structures, as well as the elimination of three existing baseball and softball fields since the site did not have the room necessary to relocate. “Tonight, I know that I am and I’m sure every board member is also, we are making decision that will matter long after I’m going to be gone. We are very conscious about how making the right decisions.” Board Member Mark Steffen said. “We take this very seriously and hopefully we are going to make the right choice.” The Torrance Aquatic Center will be used for official competitions and school events. It will not be a facility for the public to use recreationally such as the city’s plunge. While the board’s site approval is a big step toward moving forward with the project, the process is “contingent upon the completion of the environmental review” and many more steps are needed in order for the project to break ground. In addition, “the placement of this District-wide Aquatic Center is conditional upon the completion of the environmental review process, and does not preclude the Board of Education from any alternatives or mitigation measures that the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) may otherwise require to be considered, including the alternative of not going forward with the placement of the District-wide Aquatic Center at the selected location” stated the agenda item. With the board’s selection of the Shery site, the large crowd of parents, players and coaches vacated the council chambers content with the outcome and relieved that the baseball and softball fields the leagues use will be affected. “I wrote a beautiful speech that I’m sure would bring everyone to tears if I gave it,” President for Torrance Girls Softball LeagueScott Weisbrook said. “If the inference that I am drawing is that Levy is the unlikely to be the site and that the Shery site is where it is going to be, I will simply come up there and give you all a big kiss and send all my girls home so that they can go do their homework.” •
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