Pond 20 Options – World Class 4-year University for IB Area

Back in about 1986, the City of IB was on the verge of bankruptcy.  Our mayor, the late Harry Smith, stood before the Coronado City Council and asked that they consider adopting (annexing) IB.  When that effort failed, the City eventually took action to turn over public ocean front and tideland ownership responsibilities to the Port District.  With the Port’s involvement we finished restoring the pier, built Dunes Park, and completed a number of other improvements.

Why this background? Because, during this same period a formal proposal was made to the City of IB to pursue the development of a 4-year Institute of Higher Education. The proposal included examples of other small communities that enjoyed the economic and social benefits offered by such a locally based institution. 

After the Union-Tribune published an article on this grassroots effort to bring a college to the IB Area (U/T,“Booster wants an IB College, 11-6-89), a group of IB citizens known as the “Hush” committee, invited the author to give a presentation at one of their meetings (the “hush” committee was formed to consider options for the potential closure of Ream Field helicopter base, which was a real possibility at the time).  About ten minutes into the presentation, a principal Hush committee member, the late Nelson Price, unilaterally declared that the OTI University concept was not feasible.  A spontaneous open discussion began and the speaker was never allowed to continue and finish his presentation.

Now, about 24 years later, we have seen 750 acres of the Western Salt acquisition, and who knows how much of the TJ River Valley, lost forever to land banking interests.  At this point it time, we can look back and see that if we really wanted it, and made it a priority, we could have found space for a small college in the IB Area (the proposal provided examples of how universities could fit in surprisingly small areas).

The economic and social fabric of our area continues to deteriorate, as evidenced by the weakening City finances, the threat of losing our cultural icons (Sandcastles, Sports Park, etc) and the struggling state of family-based support of our local schools.  The last remaining parcel of the original Western Salt land acquisition, the 95 area Pond 20 parcel near 13th and Palm Ave, represents the last opportunity for significant economic and social opportunity for the communities of the IB Area. The Port District has asked us what we want to do with Pond 20 (Google "Pond 20 Letters of Interest), and the people of the IB Area seem oblivious to the travesty being caused by the land-banking interests.

When the next round of bankruptcy looms over the City of IB, we will no longer have the beach & Tidelands to trade away.  We need to take action now to preempt the inevitable financial crises to affect our city.  Yes, Pond 20 is in the City of San Diego, but the economies and social fabric of 91932 and 92154 are intertwined.

The Ocean Technical Institute, and the PCH Dinner Show, are home-grown game changing concepts that will build up the local economy and social status of the IB Area, better than any other option.

I urgently recommend that the citizens, and the leadership, of the IB Area prevent further land banking activities until ALL options are explored for Pond 20.  A thorough examination will show that the OTI University and the PCH Dinner Show are the best use of the 95 acre Pond 20 parcel.

You can download OTI University and PCH Dinners show drawings and documents at www.pchdinnershow.com. Businesses in the IB Area are encouraged to contact roger@pchdinnershow.comfor a free poster showing the PCH Dinner Show and OTI University.

A follow up blog entitled “OTI University for IB Area – Why This Building” will immediately follow this blog.