It was regrettable that a vociferous minority was able to defeat the revitalization of The Oaks under the slogan "Save Our City." The Oaks in its current configuration is an attractive nuisance, particularly at night. Surely, at late hours, there will be increasing incidents of vagrancy, abandonment, invasion and occupation. I envision the need to install a "temporary" chain-link fence to deter vehicle access to the storefronts abandoned by the city council in its vote of Dec. 15, 2003.

How very irresponsible of the city's leaders.

R.A. Blais

Cupertino

YMCA volunteers in our community at Christmas

After all the strong criticism the Northwest YMCA has received recently from its neighbors, for nearly everything from noisy children to excessive rain, here is a more complimentary observation.

The members, staff, friends and supporters of the Y recently concluded their fifth or sixth year of performing Christmas gift-wrap services at Vallco Fashion Park. Vallco provides all the gift-wrap paper, tape, ribbons, bows, scissors, and facilities for this enterprise. The YMCA provides all the workers, including volunteer managers. Vallco does not charge for this service—it is free to all customers who can present a receipt for any items purchased from a Vallco tenant. Vallco also makes a significant donation to the Y for the wrapping services.

Christmas gift-wrapping services were provided on 18 days (and nights) in 2003, from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. During that time, approximately 14,700 gifts were wrapped for approximately 6,100 customers, using approximately 14 miles of ribbon.

This community service paints a different picture of the Y, in contrast with the recent opinions expressed by the Y's more vocal neighbors, does it not?

Gordon Frolich

Cupertino

Why couldn't De Anza keep old plants in new plan?

Today, as I drove by De Anza College in Cupertino, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Recently, the college remodeled a parking lot. They completely removed all the trees in the previous parking lot, including I believe some big oaks. They also cut down a lot of the trees on the perimeter, and the perimeter wasn't even remodeled. They just cut down some nice pine trees there. I was surprised the parking lot is now a big expanse of pure concrete; I didn't know that was legal these days. The parking lots you see being built for shopping centers, etc., always have a lot of tree strips or trees planted in them. The community has protested the loss of these trees, and it was a surprise to people. The college has responded by saying they intend to plant more trees (which will take years to equal the growth of what they removed). It was obvious college planners tried to save the nicer trees that were already there. Today's administration sees fit to remove them.

But I was glad at least the adjacent parking lot, with large oaks and nice plantings, hadn't been touched. Then, recently, the adjacent parking lot is being remodeled. Lo and behold, all of its mature oaks and trees are obliterated. Again, there will be a big vast concrete parking area with no shade, a la the l950s. It makes me mad. Why not incorporate the existing decades-old plantings in a new plan? How many parking spaces have to be saved? Will the whole campus be a parking lot soon?

Once a month there is a big farmers' market in these two parking lots. I have felt the spaces under the trees were the prime spaces for the vendors. Now, the cars of all the students who go to this college and all the vendors and patrons of the farmers' market can bake in the sun.

The community has no control or jurisdiction over what the college chooses to do, and obviously they are very insensitive to the community. They have no feel at all for trees. I believe they are idiots, and strange. I too feel I will never vote funds for this collage again.

This is just terrible what has taken place. Like institutionalized vandalism or something. Interestingly, the city of Cupertino has a heritage tree ordinance. Trees like these could not have been cut down under the laws of Cupertino, without a big review process and permits for a variance.

Patsy Luniewski

Cupertino

Help libraries with 'yes' for Measure B

Without support for Measure B and the campaign to save the Santa Clara County libraries, communities throughout the county stand to lose valuable library services. Measure B asks for an increase of $8 annually on the library tax county residents already pay. This is a solid investment, not only in the libraries, but also in the community as a whole.

These funds are critical. Library usage has skyrocketed in the past 10 years, due to cuts in school library funding, a higher demand for Internet access, and more people moving into the area. Measure B would ensure that money would continue to be available, and that library hours, materials and services would not be diminished.

The county libraries are not something that this county can afford to do without. Without the community's investment in Measure B, the libraries will suffer, and in turn, communities in Santa Clara County will lose a valuable resource.

Supporting this measure is a long-term investment. It is critical that we work together to keep county libraries strong. Invest in your library and vote yes on Measure B.

Carolyn King

Saratoga