The arts are on the grow

STEVE SMITH

Last week’s mention of the progress of our Performing Arts Center

audience prompted a thoughtful reply from Fred Andresen of Corona del

Mar.

Where I was holding my breath waiting for the applause between

movements during the performance of a Bartok concerto, Andresen is

pleased to see how far we’ve come, despite such demonstrations.

“When my wife and I moved here from New England in 1993,” wrote

Andresen, “the only classical performances were in Los Angeles and

occasionally in the Santa Ana High School Auditorium, both greatly

appreciated. Then through the gracious generosity of the Segerstroms,

Orange County began its growth to what today ranks as one of the

leading venues anywhere for world class music and dance.”

Of course, Andresen is right and although the Segerstrom family is

often leading the way, there are many other people and businesses who

have contributed to our cultural explosion. One look at the donor

lists in the Performing Arts Center or in the performance program

will tell you all you need to know.

We owe them a great deal not just for their contributions but for

their vision as well.

The recent growth and development of Costa Mesa’s South Coast

Metro area is all one needs to see what good planning will do. Or,

just drive through Irvine some time. Although Irvine is often the

focus of jokes because of its sameness, it also happens to be an area

of low crime, good schools and high desirability.

Still, there is no South Coast Metro, no Irvine, no anywhere,

without people. The people in Newport-Mesa are in transition right

now, something that Andresen pointed out in his e-mail:

“Oh, how [audiences] have matured in the past 20 years. When I am

annoyed when some still clap when they shouldn’t, disturbing the

silent transition from one musical thought to the next, I give thanks

they are just there. Artistic appreciation and knowledge is a matter

of growth and the change has been noticeable.”

He’s right but we still have a way to go. For now, I will be more

tolerant of the comments offered during performances by Carl St.

Clair, the musical director of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

As far as we’ve come, we still have a long way to go. As mature

cities, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa are finding it more difficult to

make room for improvements. Undeveloped parcels are few and far

between and city planners are turning more and more to “infill” to

complete the next phases of their plans.

Infill is the razing of an older, developed piece of land for the

purpose of building something new on the site.

One recent example is the fate of Marinapark, which is still being

debated but which is a classic infill project. Get rid of the old and

put in the new.

The new housing and retail project at the site of the El Toro

Marine Corps Air Station is infill.

Even closer to home, the Orange County Fairgrounds has been talked

about as a future infill project.

Owned by the state, there was talk, supported in the past by

Assemblyman John Campbell, of selling the property and moving the

fair to Irvine.

The benefit to the state is about $230 million.

My family and I are dedicated fairgoers. We visit at least twice

each year, sometimes more. It’s something we look forward to and

cannot imagine the county being without.

But does it have to be based in Costa Mesa? No, it does not. The

fair is a county enterprise operating on state property. But even

without the technical side of the argument, there are good reasons to

make the move.

Locals should not reject the fair’s move “because it’s always been

here” or because “it’s tradition” or any other emotional reason.

Unfortunately, those are just the arguments I’ve read. Those

arguments are self-centered, which is a normal reaction to anything

anytime someone’s cheese is being moved, so to speak.

We need to think bigger. We need to think in the best interests of

the county and the entire state and if we can save $230 million by

selling the property and staging the fair nine miles away, we should

do it.

Most of us drive to the fair anyway, so a few more minutes in the

car won’t make much of a difference.

Besides, if the fair moves, some of us will get to drive past the

beautiful new performing arts complex in Costa Mesa.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer.

Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at

(714) 966-4664 or send story ideas to [email protected].