An issue that came up at the Mayoral debate last week was the glass house in Peacock Park. A member of the audience wrote in a question asking both candidates, Tomás Regalado and Joe Sanchez, what they felt it's future should be.
A restaurant has been suggested for the space if and when the NET office and Chamber leave.
Both candidates felt that the NET office, first off, should not be touched by the cost cutting that the city is doing to balance the budget, even though that is part of the plan, but also, they both felt that if the building is vacated for any reason, that it should become a public facility like a community center and not a privately-owned restaurant.
The NET office's fate still has not been determined. Next Tuesday, September 29, will be the deciding day. That's the last day the City Commission has to work out the budget. Let's see how both candidates vote on the NET issue, since they both said in public that they do not want to harm the NET office.
Commissioner Marc Sarnoff says that the glass house will become a restaurant either way.
An RFP (request for proposals) will go out. He would like to see a full service restaurant on one side, maybe facing the park and on the other side, maybe a concession type thing that will sell coffee, burgers, shakes, things like that.
Comm. Sarnoff would like to build a playground in the area and promote more park usage.
He feels that a community center would just sit empty for most of the time. I agree. I think a restaurant is a good idea for the facility. And two types (full service and concession) would be a great idea and give us even more restaurant choices in the Grove. But maybe a compromise can be had -- half restaurant, half community center. Ping pong and coffee anyone?
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