Like the Razzie, Hollywood’s award honoring the best of the worst in the film industry, Santa Barbara should have an annual award honoring the shameful ones who work against our solid community and our spirit of well-being. I would like to propose the Santa Barbara Barb, or the Barbie for short. Our local award could either be a statuette of St. Barbara with fine barbed wire encircling her from halo to toe or we could keep it simple with just a clump of shiny (or rusty?) barbed wire on a polished piece of local oak.
Make it nice enough and maybe the offenders will show up in person to receive theirs. The offenders, you ask? We have plenty of them from developers, politicos, companies, and other fat cats trying to get fatter to the ones taking out orchards and golf courses and those others putting chokeholds on State Street businesses and rental units.
In my book, this year’s award would probably go to the takeover of the 50-year-old Las Positas tennis courts by the Elings Park Foundation. Making some renovations with the $3 million donated by community members, they turn around and stiff the community by raising players’ fees by almost 500 percent.
Not only that, but nary a pickleball court was even added to address America’s fastest growing sport! Need a bonus award for that one – Sour Pickle Juice award?
Since most regular players, even some who have benefited from these courts since 1974 can no longer afford those exorbitant fees, it has been predicted that weeds will be growing through the cracks sooner than expected. Many are now boycotting the facility.