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Mission Valley Village

I live in a little Village, in the Valley, that overlooks the San Diego River and the manicured, softly rolling greens of the Admiral Baker Golf Course. Ancient trees shade our homes. All our residents share the bounty of the fruit trees that grow here, in abundance.

Snowy Egrets dot the landscape between the River and the Golf Course. Finch, Crow and Ducks abound, as well as birds I can’t name and have never seen before.

I like to swim in the early evening and watch for my friend, a Great Blue Heron, to fly from his perch in a Giant California Oak, up the hill and away into the gathering darkness. I’d love to know where he goes. Where ever that is, he’s always back the next day.

I’m amazed by the peace and tranquility here, bordered as we are by the crowded and congested Mission Gorge and Friars roads.

Our little area shelters a stunning array of wildlife. We have fat little squirrels that raid our gardens, noisy raccoons that party in the Loquat trees, shy opossums, wiley coyotes and the inevitable skunks.

This is the first place I’ve ever lived where people actually take care of each other. Whether it’s a ride to the airport, a hot meal when you’re sick or someone to walk the dog. We take care of each other. We’re a Family. I don’t know if it’s the Magic of the setting or the fact that we’re all Seniors. I just know it’s great.

We’re a really diverse group, both by career and ethnicity. What we have in common are shared values, energy and a determination to give back. Our residents volunteer at local hospitals, staff the Polls at election time, teach Adult Literacy and assist in Stand Down.

I feel proud and lucky to live here. But nothing lasts forever and our luck is about to run out. A dark cloud has formed over the Village, shattering the tranquility.

A rich, greedy, predatory, out of State Conglomerate discovered us. They don’t care about our community, or its residents. They don’t share our Values. They are not good Corporate Citizens. They made secret deals to deny us our Rights. They have demonstrated a complete lack of Good Faith in their business dealings.

They picture our Village as an expensive high- rise, high-density, sterile, cement tenement for a high paid transient population for strangers.

They plan to displace the current residents. Bulldoze the trees, destroy the habitat and pollute the environment. It’s already started.

My heart is heavy as I look around at the scarred earth, where homes have been ripped out, along with rose bushes and fruit trees.

In ten or fifteen years, Mission Valley Village will be an urban legend. Like Shangri-La. No one will remember if it ever really existed. No one will believe that our City Leaders’ would allow it to be replaced with a high-rise cement tenement.

I’m glad I lived here while it was still a Magical place.

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I live in a little Village, in the Valley, that overlooks the San Diego River and the manicured, softly rolling greens of the Admiral Baker Golf Course. Ancient trees shade our homes. All our residents share the bounty of the fruit trees that grow here, in abundance.

Snowy Egrets dot the landscape between the River and the Golf Course. Finch, Crow and Ducks abound, as well as birds I can’t name and have never seen before.

I like to swim in the early evening and watch for my friend, a Great Blue Heron, to fly from his perch in a Giant California Oak, up the hill and away into the gathering darkness. I’d love to know where he goes. Where ever that is, he’s always back the next day.

I’m amazed by the peace and tranquility here, bordered as we are by the crowded and congested Mission Gorge and Friars roads.

Our little area shelters a stunning array of wildlife. We have fat little squirrels that raid our gardens, noisy raccoons that party in the Loquat trees, shy opossums, wiley coyotes and the inevitable skunks.

This is the first place I’ve ever lived where people actually take care of each other. Whether it’s a ride to the airport, a hot meal when you’re sick or someone to walk the dog. We take care of each other. We’re a Family. I don’t know if it’s the Magic of the setting or the fact that we’re all Seniors. I just know it’s great.

We’re a really diverse group, both by career and ethnicity. What we have in common are shared values, energy and a determination to give back. Our residents volunteer at local hospitals, staff the Polls at election time, teach Adult Literacy and assist in Stand Down.

I feel proud and lucky to live here. But nothing lasts forever and our luck is about to run out. A dark cloud has formed over the Village, shattering the tranquility.

A rich, greedy, predatory, out of State Conglomerate discovered us. They don’t care about our community, or its residents. They don’t share our Values. They are not good Corporate Citizens. They made secret deals to deny us our Rights. They have demonstrated a complete lack of Good Faith in their business dealings.

They picture our Village as an expensive high- rise, high-density, sterile, cement tenement for a high paid transient population for strangers.

They plan to displace the current residents. Bulldoze the trees, destroy the habitat and pollute the environment. It’s already started.

My heart is heavy as I look around at the scarred earth, where homes have been ripped out, along with rose bushes and fruit trees.

In ten or fifteen years, Mission Valley Village will be an urban legend. Like Shangri-La. No one will remember if it ever really existed. No one will believe that our City Leaders’ would allow it to be replaced with a high-rise cement tenement.

I’m glad I lived here while it was still a Magical place.

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