Call 658-4726 or 654-7552 to register, if you already have an account online, visit www.cityofventura.net
Ballroom for Youth 7-12 years
12/12-1/30 Sa 3-4 pm $69 Course# 42231
Build confidence, improve posture, learn to relate to your partner without even talking, Dance to today’s music in a ballroom way. Parents must attend first class to fill out paperwork, and enter the studio when dropping off and picking up your child. No flip-flops or sneakers–leather or suede shoes are best. No class 12/26 & 1/2. Class held at House of Dance, 3007 Bunsen Ave, Suite E & F in Ventura.
Beginning Skateboarding 5 years-adult
12/12 Sa 10 am-12 pm $30 Course# 42012
Bring a skateboard, helmet and kneepads to practice half pipe, pumping back and forth, kick turning and dropping in. Register early as classes are limited to 5 skaters. At Serio Skateboard Shop, 989 B East Main St in Ventura. More info and offerings at www.sk8serio.com.
Primal Feat: a dance/movement intuitive experience 18 years-adult
12/13 Su 4-5:30 pm $15
Fun, spirited, surrendered dance and movement. We dance in our bare feet or soft dance shoes, comfy clothes to move in and no dance partner required. No dance experience necessary. The body is meant to move! facebook.com/primalfeat Instructor Liz Galvan. Classes at Cosmotion 2343 E Thompson Blvd #A.
San Buenaventura was founded in 1782 by Father Junipero Serra, the ninth of the California missions. He named it after the Italian St. Bonaventure, hence the nickname that Ventura is the “city of good fortune.” The City of San Buenaventura was incorporated in 1866. The minutes of the first City Council meetings were recorded in Spanish, which was still the pre-dominant language of its time. Ventura became the County seat when Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties split in 1873. That same year, a courthouse and wharf were built, a bank was opened and the first public library was created. Ventura became known as the Poinsettia City because of the number of beautiful red-blossoming plants throughout the community.
The city’s 150th anniversary will be on April 2, 2016. There are many projects and events planned to celebrate this momentous occasion. The largest project will be a “”community-sponsored 42’ ceramic tile mural in front of Mission San Buenaventura, showcasing the history of the city. It will be designed and created by renowned artist Michael O’Kelly, of the California Pottery and Tile Works, who works out of his Ventura studio-home.
California Pottery and Tile Works has done many custom ceramic projects that you may be familiar with, including the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Music Academy of the West, the Biltmore Hotel, La Cumbre Plaza, Paseo Nuevo, Watermark Restaurant, Los Angeles Union Station and Disneyland. (for more information on the anniversary see www.celebrateventura.org )
Mr. O’Kelly has designed several special-edition commemorative ceramic plaques that are available from now until April. If you would like to purchase one for the tax-deductible donation of $125, please contact him at [email protected].
County Memorial Hospital is well under construction and its parking structure is close behind.
Photo by John Ferritto
Part 1 of 2
By Rebecca Wicks
More than two years ago I wrote an article outlining “10 projects that will change the face of Ventura.” Since then, the publisher of the Breeze has received periodic inquiries about these and other projects in Ventura. Follows is an update on these and other projects in City.
While Ventura has seen significant growth in recent decades, it isn’t a city that shows up on “fastest growing cities” lists. That said, Venturans definitely have an opinion about how our relatively small city grows. From commercial developments aimed at boosting tourism and specific economies, to infill projects and annexing land to build out entire communities – the City has plans to do all of this, and more.
“The City of Ventura needs to move forward on some of these projects,” says resident Lynn Hiller who believes the City should be focused on residential infill construction in midtown and downtown specifically. “There is a real need for new housing in Ventura, which is full of ageing, sub-standard housing, but what seems to happen is that instead of infilling areas in the city where streets and sewers already exist, the building is done on what is probably the most valuable and productive farmland in the world.”
The “Infill First” strategy, which is part of the City’s General Plan adopted in 2005 outlines how Ventura aims to be a city that avoids suburban sprawl. One issue, according to City Planning Manager Dave Ward is many of the projects currently going into construction today were in the City’s planning pipeline before 2005.
“Many projects, especially those on the east end of Ventura were in city planning phases pre 2005,” explained Ward. “Some stalled during the recession and were revived post 2010.”
While the City doesn’t control developers, it can and has made attempts to prioritize infrastructure fixes to help support the type of projects the City would like to see. Recent efforts include waterline and roadway improvements in existing parts of the City. In addition City officials are also working to review the zoning laws in each of the “priority” areas in the General Plan to ensure they line up with the development wanted.
“We want it to make sense for developers,” explained Mayor Cheryl Heitmann. “If the General Plan says we want an area to be residential but it’s currently zoned for industrial, that doesn’t make sense and we’re working to fix that now.”
In 2013, the Breeze outlined 10 projects that had the potential to have a big impact on the City. Here is an update on projects 1 through 5::
Number 1. Sondermann-Ring – Now 15 years in the making, this project which promises a “residential seaside village” at the Ventura Harbor is extremely close to breaking ground according to Ward who estimates the developer could begin construction as early as late spring. This project which includes 300 residential live/work apartments, 21,000 square feet of commercial space and private indoor/outdoor recreational facilities including a 2.4-acre park and waterfront promenade has seen it all in its planning stages from lawsuits and revisions galore, to a recession and even personal crisis. With only a single outstanding landscaping item to get through city planning, it still may face one final hurdle next year– El Nino.
Number 2. County Memorial Hospital – With the hospital itself well under construction and an opening date set for Fall 2016, new construction recently began on the hospital’s parking garage. The 320,000 square foot building is part of what the City is calling its “Wellness District.” And, while a parking garage may not seem exciting, Mayor Heitmann believes it is something to take note of.
“Parking is key to stimulating this wellness corridor,” said Mayor Heitmann. “Prospective merchants and retailers may choose to locate in the area based on this factor alone. “
Once the new hospital opens, the vacated hospital building which represents 121,000 square feet of space will be open for non-essential hospital support services. City officials are hopeful this move will have a catalytic effect on the area, drawing additional restaurants and retailers to support the area.
Number 3. The Ventura Downtown Housing (VDH) project and the Mar-y-cel project are two downtown projects that promise to bring housing to the area. The VDH project includes 257 apartments, while the Mar-y-cel project is a mixed-use project, which proposes 6,800 square feet of commercial space and 138 apartments.
The VDH project was approved on appeal by the City Council in September, while the Mar-y-cel project was approved with no appeals. Both projects sit with the developers now who will need to take their planning documents and work to transform them into construction documents – a process that is expected to take several months. Both developers also have other projects they are working on in Ventura.
Number 4. Parklands – Covering a sizeable 67 acres, which has served as farmland, the 499-units community includes apartments, single-family homes and condominiums as well as commercial space. Located at the southwest corner of Telegraph and Wells Roads in East Ventura, planning for this project began almost 12 years ago. The 173-apartment component of the plan is currently in final plan check and according to Ward could begin construction “any day now,” with the developer needing only to finalize the pulling of their building permits and paying fees.
Number 5. The Grove – Another project that began before the recession, the community includes between 198-250 townhouses, apartments, courtyards and open space. Located on Telephone Road near the 101 and 126 Freeways across the street from Barnes & Noble, the project sits on 25 acres of farmland. The project has finished the planning process and is now about 70 percent done with environmental review, according to Ward. Once this is completed, the report will be made available for public review and comment. Ward expects the City and the developer to work through traffic, water and sewer elements in the summer months, and spend winter 2016 months responding to public and other agency comments. Once this is completed, it will go through the Design Review Committee and the Council before the City will file to annex the land after which time the project will enter phase development.
See the next issue of TheBreeze to read Part 2 of State of the state of development in Ventura where you can read the rest of the updates on development projects in Ventura.
One of the benefits of this program is that it deals with each individual’s problems.
Part 1 of 2
By Richard Lieberman
Kevin Clerici, Executive Director of Downtown Ventura Partners (DVP), the nonprofit business improvement district in Downtown that runs the Park Security Ambassadors, which is one of the many programs that the DVP operates. He is pleased with the progress and early results of the program. So pleased he’s thinking about expanding the project. Currently funded by the city in partnership with Ventura Downtown Partners.
He is in talks with City leadership about expanding the coverage of the program to the Promenade and bike path. The City solely funds the personnel under DVP leadership.
Prior to the programs beginning the city was experiencing major acts of vandalism, and problems in the two major restrooms “there was a significant fire in the restrooms of Mission Park and it was going to cost thousands of dollars to repair them, and the city had to pay, said Clerici. Based on the on-going vandalism and inappropriate behaviors that were occurring the city and Downtown Ventura Partners came up with the concept of the Ambassador Program.
“We are trying to create an environment that is safe and welcoming to everyone” added the director. The program began on March 25, 2015 with initial seed money from the city for three months. “We received an additional six months of funding which goes through December 31 of this year which is where we are at now” Clerici said.
“Our focus is not just security, it is about addressing those individuals in the park and how we can best assist them in getting to the root causes. “The challenge or the feedback we get is people don’t want homeless to live in the park, just us coming in with a security presence is not going to fix the problem” said Clerici.
The park Ambassadors have a zero tolerance policy for illegal behaviors, in the parks, but also strive to refer individuals to appropriate available city and county programs. “Our ambassadors have become trained social workers, every day we connect them with the caseworkers from the Salvation Army, Project Understanding and Turning Point Foundation said Clerici. Ventura Downtown Partners has a program called Family Reconnection Program where homeless individuals are reconnected with their family or support group, and the program pays for transportation and ensures someone will be there to receive them.
One of the benefits of this program is that it deals with each individual and their individual problems, “We definitely have had to deal with individuals who have drug addictions, and bad behaviors, that is a definite part of the program” he said. It’s not just about pushing people out of the park.” Some of the success this program has achieved is that now school groups and other groups have come back to the parks. Since the inception of the program even families with young children are back and utilizing the recreational facilities.
The park Ambassadors have become adept at intervening in situations of illegal or bad behaviors and have been able to keep police contact at a minimum, handling most of the situations that come up with homeless individuals by themselves. “We have had some calls for alleged drug use and have called for assistance” said the director. “We have not had many acts of violence, and no one from the public has been harmed in any way” he said.
One of the benefits has been that the violence that we used to see in the park has changed significantly, “We just don’t see the violence we used to see”, said Clerici. The ambassadors are primarily at Mission Park, and Plaza Park, but with the great success of this program they are looking to expand the services to the Promenade and are in talks with the city to expand the current contract to the Promenade.
The Ambassadors, part security, part-cleanup crew, part-social workers, and part tourism officials have created a safe welcoming environment in the city parks they service. Currently the ambassadors are available six days a week, and you can see them in their red shirts on their rounds at Mission Park, Plaza Park, Main Street (during events) and the Promenade.
Katie Adams didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. She struggled in school and did not know which path to take. When she became pregnant with her daughter, she realized she needed to find a way for support her. She started to make her own essential oils and baby lotions and discovered a passion for skin care.
They started out by selling their products at booths during events and through local vendors. Recently, they opened their own store at the Ventura Harbor. Adams makes all the products herself, while her mom helps run the store.
Adams attributes her success to local nonprofit Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) and her mom, who also went through the WEV program eight years ago. WEV offers a continuum of programs aimed to help women and men start, stabilize and grow small businesses. Adams will graduate from WEV’s Self-Employment Training (SET) course on Dec. 16th at The Montecito County Club.
According to WEV’s recent 2015 Report on Program Outcomes, WEV is showing some dramatic results in comparison with national outcomes:
WEV clients are showing nearly double the national average for survival of women-owned businesses. An average of 80% of women-owned business who participated in WEV programs are still in business after five years – compared to a national average of 45%.
85% of clients in poverty at intake have moved out of poverty
In the past five years, WEV-assisted businesses have:
– Created an estimated 1,145 new jobs and supported a total of 2,552 jobs
– Generated an estimated $6.6 million in local and state tax revenues
WEV serves over 800 women and men annually in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Since inception (1991), WEV has made almost $4 million in microloans and helped start or expand an estimated 3,000 businesses which support more than 9,000 local jobs.
Join for a fun adventure in painting with Red Brick Gallery’s Painting Parties. You will learn the techniques to paint your own acrylic painting, you can choose your own colors and add your own flair to your painting. Everyone starts with the same theme, but everyone’s piece will turn out different, you really have a chance to make it your own! All Supplies are Included. No previous experience necessary-
On Friday, Dec. 18, 6-8:30pm capture the beauty of our local coast as you learn to paint a colorful Golden Sunset with an island silhouettes, a sandy beach, rolling wave and vibrant sky. This fun paint party will teach you a variety of fun techniques and create your own local scene. Choose to add a surfer silhouette or just enjoy the beauty of nature.
New location 4601 Telephone Rd Suite 112 (corner of Telephone and Market St) Reservations at 643-6400.
54 photographers entered 232 images online (viewable at www.cityofventura.net/photocontest ) in the Cities 10th annual photo contest. 277 members of the public cast votes online to select the “People’s Choice” (PC) awards and “Judges’ Choices” (JC) came from a panel of professional visual artists.
“The popular photo contest –celebrating our city’s stunning natural landscapes, unique architecture, diverse people and active community life–remains a great way for our residents to express civic pride,” said Community Partnerships Manager Denise Sindelar. The City of Ventura invites the public and all participants of its 10th annual photography contest to attend a special reception at City Hall, on Monday, Dec. 14, 5:30 pm. Many of the photographs will be on display through February in the building’s Bridge Gallery located near the second floor rear entrance.
Shown here are the winning photos of Hector Vargas-Pier sign, Hayden Berger-Young Fiesta Goer, Tammy Sims-Ventura Beach, Tom Robinson-Sail School and Jeff Paluga-Kids At Beach.
The Museum of Ventura County presents Duets: Art and Artisans in Harmony which celebrates and showcases the work of remarkable local craftsmen. Works from local artisans such as Tom Anderson, Peter Boles, Fletcher Brock, Eilam Byle, David Eichelbaum, Jean Larrivé, Jim McCarthy, Tony Moraza, David Salais, Marston Smith, Joe Till, and James Wimmer take visitors through the artistry and design of music. Also included are instruments from the RKS Design and Drum Workshop in Oxnard. The exhibit will discuss their place in the context of instrument making, and their inspiration.
Highlights of this exhibition include:
A cello crafted in the mid-19th century on loan from Mission San Buenaventura which has rarely been publicly exhibited;
A guitar made from all natural and recycled materials, crafted from resin and driftwood by musician J. Peter Boles ;
A hand-crafted electric guitar made by Tom Anderson of Anderson Guitarworks in Newbury Park used by many current artists, such as country great Clint Black, and
A true replica of a Baroque-period viola d’amore made by James Wimmer of Santa Barbara.
We are closing out the year with 10 dynamic artists from New Mexico, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas and California for a remarkable group exhibition. Selected for their individuality and exceptional applications, we have saved the very best for our December Exhibition. Featuring works such as glass and metal sculpture, wood block prints, colorful abstracts, paper cutouts, watercolor studies and so much more! The HUD Studios will also be open, so be sure to see what’s new from our resident artists. Come for the art, stay and meet the artists. Art Happens Here!
On occasion we will be featuring the art work of Breeze staff, this photo is by Richard Lieberman
We are closing out the year with 10 dynamic artists from New Mexico, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas and California for a remarkable group exhibition. Selected for their individuality and exceptional applications, we have saved the very best for our December Exhibition. Featuring works such as glass and metal sculpture, wood block prints, colorful abstracts, paper cutouts, watercolor studies and so much more! The HUD Studios will also be open, so be sure to see what’s new from our resident artists. Come for the art, stay and meet the artists. Art Happens Here!