Just recently, I went to Michael's Arts & Crafts, and found it to be a
great store. Even better is having Aaron Brothers right there with it.
The Empire Center is a beautiful shopping center. I heard a lot of people
talking about it, and I had to see it for myself. I was very pleasantly
surprised.
I think it would be nice to have a small shuttle service for the
handicapped and for nondrivers. It could be like the L.A. DOT buses I
used to see in Van Nuys. I took many a bus going to and from Los Angeles
Valley College, carrying a stack of books and my guitar, and met some
wonderful people at the time.
If the Empire Center needs a bus, it should be one that goes down
Empire Avenue, not one in the center. I realize it's quite a walk for
some people, but unless it is a shuttle (small) bus for special-needs
people, maybe it could go inside the plaza. Disabled or handicapped
people should be able to have access to Empire Center.
Being passionate about all things arty, I was so glad that Burbank got
Aaron Brothers and Michael's Crafts. We lost so many of our little craft
shops like Rainbow Crafts and Artistry With Beads. I went to Michael's
Crafts and was so glad to see that a supermarket-size store could cater
to so many kinds of crafts and ideas.
So it is also the uniqueness of the stores that warrants a shuttle for
special-needs people. Every big mall, like Media Center or Glendale
Galleria, has its Macy's, Wet Seals, Victoria's Secrets and Claire's
Accessories chain stores, but the Empire Center is a rather unique
shopping center, and I think a public transportation service for special
needs people would be a nice addition.
I was used to lugging "everything but the kitchen sink" going to and
from Los Angeles Valley College, so if I had to carry a few big bags of
purchased goods from Empire Center, I could do it. If a shuttle were
planned to run along Empire Avenue, it could be transferable from the
Hollywood Way line.
At any rate, I generally like the idea of making this great shopping
center more accessible to everyone. It would help these businesses by
bringing in more customers, also. This is something that the people of
the city of Burbank could begin to petition for, which would help
determine how many people would use such a service.
If such a service did not come to fruition, I would sweat it out like
a lot of people sweat things out. I sit a lot at my job, and I come home
and sit again, and play guitar or do crosswords. So lack of a suitable
transportation system could be a blessing when I'd get a lot of extra
walking in.
And, don't forget -- good walking shoes required.
JODY LAWSON
Burbank
