El Toro Stadium Plan Is 'Win-Win' For Community

Jeff Frum sent Lake Forest Patch the following letter to the editor:

My name is Jeff Frum and my family resides at 19292 Leal Trail, Trabuco Canyon. I have 6 children – 5 sons and 1 daughter at El Toro, Serrano and Portola Hills. I am in year 7 of the 17 years my kids will participate in El Toro Football. My oldest son began playing football in 2006 and graduated in 2010 and my youngest adopted son will graduate El Toro in 2023. I am a former President of the ET Football Boosters and will likely be in leadership again when my 8th grader begins playing for the Chargers next year.

As you’re aware enrollment figures of the 4 district high schools show the two largest schools share a stadium and the two smallest schools enjoy unhindered access for their students. This presents obvious scheduling challenges for the 6,000 students at El Toro and Trabuco. Over the past 20 years, the total number of athletes at both schools that need field time grew by a whopping 134%!...to approximately 2,010 in 2011 from 860 in 1991. We have clearly outgrown the shared use contract for this district stadium.

The school board was correct in its assessment to address this growing problem. I commend you for initiating the improvement project for the stadium at El Toro. I also want to compliment you for taking the necessary time to thoroughly address all significant environmental impacts presented in the initial report. The School Board has listened well to both sides of this argument and I feel has generously offered mitigation measures that went beyond my expectations and reduce all significant environmental impacts to “less than significant” except for noise which  will only be an issue a few nights per year.

My encouragement to all of El Toro’s neighbors is to embrace these student athletes as they are the future of our community and will be great ambassadors for Lake Forest and beyond. Instead of complaining about the noise during 5-6 football games a year I suggest they come on out and make some noise with us and they will experience increased pride for this great community. I believe that anyone who is truly honest with themselves would agree that this is a win-win for everyone in this community.

Recently in Allen, Texas voters approved a multi-million dollar bond to build a state of the art football stadium at Allen High School, a public school in their community because over 64% of the voters felt a competitive stadium would increase their property values. I’m convinced the majority of residents in our community feel the same way about this improvement project at El Toro that not only will it improve our great high school but it will attract families who want to move into our community raising not only our property values but the pride for our great community. I strongly encourage you to not be swayed by the loud voice of a small minority.

I encourage the school board to vote to approve this project and you should be confident that the vast majority of residents and voters in this community will be appreciative of what you’ve done for our kids.  This stadium is about our future and investing in our children which will undoubtedly deliver a return far greater than its monetary investment.