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Community Corner

The Village at El Paseo: A Citizen's Opinion

Here is a letter which Diane Smith sent to the Press-Enterprise. She has asked me to post it here as well for her.

To The Powers That Be:
 
At the Banning City Council Meeting held on February 11th, I heard Sun Lake’s residents Mary Hamlin and George Moyer praise the expansion, and relocation of the Probation Department to The Village at Paseo San Gorgonio. Mary Hamlin said she was very excited, and it looks and sounds wonderful. George Moyer said he has been a resident of Banning for 11 years, and he has never heard of one incident regarding the Probation Department and he is looking forward to their move and expansion.

Chief of Probation Mark Hake said the Probation Department has several offices in shopping centers throughout Riverside County. For instance, in the City of Riverside, the Probation Department is located near a Lowes anchor store, and across the street is a school and nursing facility.  In the City of Perris, the Probation Department is located in a Wal-Mart shopping center along with, grocery stores and a bank.

Since Mary and George are so excited about the Probation Department’s expansion, I would like to propose the following:  On June 1st, K-Mart will close its doors in Banning, and their building will be available for lease.  I would like to suggest that the Probation Department move to the K-Mart Shopping Center.  The building is certainly large enough to accommodate their specific needs. Furthermore, this site includes a fenced or enclosed area which presently secures K-Mart’s outdoor products, but could later be used to protect and secure County owned vehicles.

With the loss of K-Mart, I am certain the remaining stores could use the additional traffic and income which the developer says the newly relocated parole/probation department will draw, and the City will be helped through additional sales tax.  There are plenty of restaurants, both fast food and sit down, and other stores on site include:  Albertson’s, a dry cleaners, gas station, shoe store, and beauty supply.

Furthermore, there is a bus stop on Highland Springs Road that was previously used by the Sheriff’s Department to drop off released offenders from the Larry Smith Detention Facility.  I am sure the bus stop could be put back on their drop off list.  Additionally, this possible future site of the Probation Department is freeway close with easy on and easy off exits.

Obviously, the Probation Department does not need to be close to a court house, as exemplified by the Riverside and Perris offices. There is really no need to keep the Banning Probation Office in our downtown. I am asking that Economic Development Director Bill Manis promote this proposal, and perhaps make some adjustments and considerations for the betterment of our community. The only people that will be benefiting from this project if the probation department moves to the new building are the developers. They have no interest in making Banning a better place for the residents.

Thank you,
Diane Smith

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