‘Thumbs’ for May: Poway hits a home run
THUMBS UP to everyone associated with the successful effort to create a memorial near the Lake Poway baseball field to honor San Diego Padres legend and Poway resident Tony Gwynn. It’s a cliché expression, but this was indeed a team effort. The City Council deserves credit for thinking big enough to produce an appropriate tribute to “Mr. Padre.” Mayor Steve Vaus gets our MVP award for pushing the project through and organizing a successful fundraising concert in April of last year. Community Services Director Robin Bettin and consultant Rebecca Basford guided the project through the artist selection process and beyond, while hundreds of Gwynn fans, both near and far, contributed over $190,000 toward construction costs. Texas sculptor Seth Vandable’s finished 11-foot-tall bronze statue of Gwynn, holding his young daughter while tipping his cap, captured the essence of Gwynn, a talented baseball player, family man and proud Poway community member.
THUMBS UP to AmeriCare Health and Retirement for getting through over two years of governmental approvals to reach the point where ground has been broken on the 200-unit Silvergate Rancho Bernardo retirement community, the first new one in Rancho Bernardo in 30 years. Construction on the 11-acre Bernardo Heights property will begin this summer and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2019.
THUMBS UP to Carlsbad-based Capstone Advisors for investing $1.5 million to renovate the facades of stores within the aging Poway Valley Center. This is the second significant renovation project along Poway Road in as many years, following the renovation of a two-story retail center near Garden Road. While the city continues to work on an update of Poway Road Specific Plan, outlining the future of the roadway over the next 20 years or so, real progress can only be made when property owners show commitment through investing financially in their holdings.
THUMBS UP to three community members who recently received significant recognition for their contributions. Rancho Bernardo resident Michael Eyer was honored by Father Joe’s Villages with the Pierre Toussaint Award for his 30 years of providing financial advice and for hosting an annual Christmas party for 100 homeless children. Wendy Urushima-Conn, also of Rancho Bernardo, was named a “Cool Woman” by the Girl Scouts San Diego for being a role model for girls and making the world a better place while balancing work, family and community service. Sean Murray, Poway High School Class of 1979, was named the newest member of the Titan Hall of Fame for his achievements in theater. He is the co-founder of the Cygnet Theatre. Congratulations to all three recipients.
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