How many times have I heard people say there’s “nothing to do in Lompoc”? It’s usually followed by a request for the City Council to fund whatever activity the complainer is promoting.
Well, it turns out there is plenty to do in Lompoc besides shopping at the nearest cannabis outlet.
A recent city manager’s report to the City Council, and available to the public on the city website, indicated the following activities were provided for people of all ages by groups renting space in recreational facilities managed by the city:
Karate, Kendo (a modern Japanese martial art), dance fitness, stretch-and-relax sessions, youth basketball camp, youth soccer camp, adult softball, the Lompoc outdoor community market, drop-in volleyball, and a food truck round-up in the old town on Friday evenings.
For senior citizens there are service club activities, line dancing and exercise sessions specifically designed to help seniors remain fit.
In addition, the city parks provide a Frisby golf course and handicap accessible play area at Beatty Park; several walking/biking trails; tennis courts; a skateboard park; a well-equipped aquatic center; and other physical fitness activities. And the local Channel Islands Family YMCA offers indoor sports venues for individual and team sports.
When I go for my periodic physical exams, my doctor always asks me: “Have you been exercising?”
When I tell him I try and walk a couple of miles three or four times a week, he says this is just right for a man of my age. So, I pat myself on the back and leave knowing I will last another few weeks. You see, even a walking exercise at your own speed helps keep your body parts functioning like they are supposed to.
If you’re not into sports, there are various festivals throughout the late spring and summer months to entertain you at Ryon Park; and concert events put on by the Lompoc Pops orchestra.
For a look at how things were before telephones and the internet, there is La Purisima Mission and the Lompoc Valley Historical Society on West Walnut and the Lompoc Museum on South H Street.
Each of these places will introduce you to how people lived before there were any modern conveniences or distractions. Life was much less complex then, and families could focus on raising their families instead of solving the world’s problems.
So, saying there is nothing to do in Lompoc is sort of misleading. f you are an internet blog surfer who spends most of your day and night searching for “internet facts” then you probably believe this myth.
So, it appears that all it takes is a desire to go find something to do. And if you are seeking a competitive sport, there are ample opportunities to build up a sweat while kicking a soccer ball, shooting hoops, playing softball, or hitting tennis balls.
So, don’t sit around complaining when all it takes is a little effort and you can find a meaningful activity to make your day better and take your mind off the world’s problems that you can’t solve anyway.
— Ron Fink, a Lompoc resident since 1975, is retired from the aerospace industry. He has been following Lompoc politics since 1992, and after serving for 23 years appointed to various Lompoc commissions, retired from public service. The opinions expressed are his own.
