Fireworks - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...
Fireworks - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...
Fireworks - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...
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As I Was<br />
Saying… Publisher<br />
| Steve Penna<br />
Let’s get you caught up on a few issues I have<br />
been writing about for a while. First, the issue of<br />
the “option two” choice on the downtown parking<br />
meters. You may remember the City of <strong>Redwood</strong><br />
City took away that option because they said users<br />
were confused by having so many options (there<br />
were only two). Option two has now been restored.<br />
Option two makes it more convenient for<br />
seniors, teens and those using cash to add time<br />
and also use existing time left on the meter from<br />
previous users (which I appreciate so much).<br />
This is great news and will eliminate some of the<br />
frustration many people have with the meters, and<br />
this definitely makes them more user-friendly.<br />
Hopefully those who have been discouraged by<br />
not having that option and have started shopping<br />
elsewhere out of that frustration will return and<br />
enjoy downtown again.<br />
Kudos to city officials for listening to us.<br />
.…<br />
Second, a few years back I started writing about<br />
the Fourth of July activities (parade, festival,<br />
carnival and fireworks) and the organization<br />
that sponsors them, the Peninsula Celebration<br />
Association (PCA). <strong>The</strong>re was great concern<br />
when the parade route was changed during the<br />
construction of the cinema complex and then not<br />
moved back once it was complete.<br />
<strong>The</strong> concern was because the new route went<br />
around the downtown area and, in parts, even out<br />
of the area on Veterans Boulevard. <strong>The</strong> festival<br />
and carnival were also moved, relocated to the<br />
east side of Middlefield Road backing up to<br />
Veterans Boulevard and around County Center.<br />
This did not sit well with residents, the City of<br />
<strong>Redwood</strong> City and businesses alike because<br />
activities like this bring visitors to the downtown<br />
area and foster commerce for all.<br />
Well, after much debate, Councilwomen<br />
Rosanne Foust and Barbara Pierce along with<br />
City Manager Bob Bell were instrumental in<br />
working with and creating communication with<br />
members of the PCA that has resulted in big<br />
changes for this year. You are hearing it here first.<br />
<strong>The</strong> parade will be moved back to the original<br />
route, which starts on Arguello Street, goes west<br />
on Middlefield Road, east on Main Street and<br />
Marshall Street and ends on Warren Street. <strong>The</strong><br />
festival (arts and crafts, etc.) will run completely<br />
down Broadway from Main Street to Winslow<br />
Street. Courthouse Square will be full of<br />
activities too. <strong>The</strong> city is working with member<br />
of the Kiwanis Club of <strong>Redwood</strong> City to move<br />
the carnival to where it was before, which was<br />
in the parking lot on Middlefield Road, backing<br />
up to the railway. <strong>The</strong> complete map of all<br />
activities can be viewed on our website at www.<br />
www.<strong>Spectrum</strong><strong>Magazine</strong>.net<br />
spectrummagazine.net.<br />
All this is great news for our business<br />
community. Main Street has gone though some<br />
tremendous positive changes, and new businesses<br />
there and all over downtown have been working<br />
hard to bring customers into their respective retail<br />
shops and restaurants. <strong>The</strong> route being changed<br />
back to travel down there will be a huge boost to<br />
revenues and exposure. Which is exactly what<br />
special events like the Fourth of July activities are<br />
supposed to do.<br />
Moving the route back makes it literally<br />
encompass all of the downtown area. No<br />
activities, however, are planned for the 2600<br />
block of Broadway, but, with the exception of<br />
one year, they never have been. That block and<br />
the restaurants there do very well on the Fourth<br />
and they attract a more local crowd. Remember,<br />
there are estimates of up to 100,000 visitors to<br />
our community on that day. City Pub celebrates<br />
its anniversary on the Fourth, so many stop by to<br />
enjoy the food and discounted beverages.<br />
Now, are you sitting down? <strong>The</strong> annual<br />
fireworks display will most definitely be coming<br />
back after a two-year absence. An unofficial<br />
group of residents and business owners is working<br />
with the city to raise the money needed (there is a<br />
plan to start outreach to businesses and residents<br />
alike to contribute) and is also working on the<br />
logistics to make sure our city shines once again<br />
and provides the spectacular show that is enjoyed<br />
by our community and so many surrounding<br />
communities. It may not — and I use the word<br />
“may” strongly — be the big show we are used to,<br />
but it should be something similar to the fireworks<br />
seen during Hometown Holidays in December.<br />
It is really up to us all to step up and contribute<br />
to make the fireworks return.<br />
This is all great news and is an opportunity<br />
for our community to rally around the PCA and<br />
help them to make this the biggest Independence<br />
Day celebration our community has ever seen.<br />
<strong>The</strong> group has been organizing this event for our<br />
community since 1939, and I am sure they need<br />
volunteers for something. We have to step up<br />
and help. I have done so on many occasions and<br />
have participated in activities from setting up<br />
trash receptacles to being a parade announcer. I<br />
have also participated in, and even ridden in, the<br />
parade. I plan on doing so again this year. Please<br />
join me.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are plenty of individuals and groups<br />
in our community that can step up and offer to<br />
help. If you are interested in volunteering or<br />
contributing, contact the PCA at 650-365-1825,<br />
463 Brewster Ave. # 4, <strong>Redwood</strong> City, CA 94063-<br />
1724. <strong>The</strong>y also have a website: www.parade.org.<br />
Come on, <strong>Redwood</strong> City! Our Fourth of July<br />
activities are the envy of all other communities,<br />
and this year we will all work harder to make it<br />
so once again. What better way to celebrate our<br />
independence than by helping and then enjoying<br />
our community with family and friends.<br />
.…<br />
<strong>The</strong>se two changes come on the heels of Mayor<br />
Alicia Aguirre taking the helm. Whether or not<br />
this is a coincidence, it looks good for her. She<br />
plans to do things a bit differently and concentrate<br />
partly on more human-interest issues. <strong>The</strong>se types<br />
of results fall within her plan.<br />
One change Aguirre has already made is in<br />
regard to the State of the City address. <strong>The</strong> annual<br />
event, which informs our community of where we<br />
are on all fronts and where we are going, is held<br />
with sponsorship from the <strong>Redwood</strong> City–San<br />
Mateo County Chamber of Commerce. Many feel<br />
that although the chamber is a good outlet for the<br />
event, one should not have to pay a fee to attend.<br />
<strong>The</strong> chamber charges a fee to cover the cost of the<br />
facility rental and a light breakfast for attendees.<br />
It is also filmed and can be seen on the city’s<br />
website and local Comcast cable channel 27.<br />
This year the chamber event was held on<br />
Friday, Jan. 20, at the Oracle Business Center. But<br />
before that, Aguirre decided to give the address<br />
at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, inviting<br />
residents to attend without having to pay to do so.<br />
Great idea! It must be noted that, as mayor a few<br />
years back, Foust held a similar event at the senior<br />
center, but it was after the chamber event. This<br />
definitely is a welcomed change for our residents.<br />
In her speech this year, Aguirre was optimistic<br />
about our city’s future regardless of the<br />
elimination of redevelopment funds on Feb. 1<br />
($7.8 million in <strong>Redwood</strong> City). She pointed to<br />
projects in the works like the projects at 640<br />
Veterans Blvd. (264-unit apartment complex on<br />
the old Dodge dealership site), 240 Marshall St.<br />
(116 units) and Depot Circle (the 2.3-acre area<br />
consisting of the 2-acre “Block 2” bordered by<br />
Jefferson, Middlefield and the Caltrain tracks, and<br />
the 0.3-acre Winslow parking lot).<br />
She also talked about building partnerships,<br />
collaborations, contracting out for services,<br />
all the usual political rhetoric. An interesting<br />
potential cost-saving collaboration in the works<br />
she mentioned is talks with the Sequoia YMCA<br />
to build a new facility that could be used by<br />
that organization and the citizens of <strong>Redwood</strong><br />
City. <strong>The</strong> Red Morton Center is in dire need of<br />
renovations, and this potential partnership could<br />
be very helpful as funds will be hard to come by in<br />
the next few years.<br />
(continues on page 25)