La Cañada History: 1,000-pound transformer vault cover blasts into the air

Ten Years Ago

Faith communities in the Foothills announced they would sponsor a candlelight vigil on Sept. 21, 2006 in La Cañada’s Memorial Park. Area residents were invited to take a candle to the park and join in prayer, reflection and a petition for global peace during the event, held to mark International Day of Peace.

Twenty Years Ago

A 1,000-pound Southern California Edison vault cover at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Oakwood Avenue blasted about six feet into the air on a Monday afternoon in September 1996, with that blast followed shortly thereafter by two others at the same location, rattling nerves and causing power outages. One woman said she’d been sitting on a bus bench near the site of the explosion, when suddenly both benches on the sidewalk there were “flying in opposite directions,” and she was knocked to the ground. The cause was determined to have been an overheated switch in the transformer vault.

Thirty Years Ago

Several hundred guests gathered at the Flintridge Riding Club for a reception in honor of Jimmy Williams, celebrating his 30 years of service there as a trainer and riding instructor. Then 69, Williams let it be known he was not retiring, but was instead looking ahead to “another 30 years” at the club. Five of his students up to that point in his career had gone on to earn places on the U.S. Equestrian Team in the Olympics.

Forty Years Ago

A new, 3,200-square-foot multipurpose building at La Cañada United Methodist Church was consecrated during a special service led by its then pastor, the Rev. William Kintner. Members of the congregation, in order to save funds, did much of the construction work themselves.

Fifty Years Ago

Work was about to begin on a $69,000 project that would widen Oakwood Avenue, between Lynnhaven Lane and Foothill Boulevard. The thoroughfare would go from two to four lanes and paved sidewalks would be installed on both sides of the street.

Sixty Years Ago

After directing activities at the La Cañada Youth House (today called the Community Center) for a year on a part-time basis, Ed Bozonier signed a three-year contract to become the institution’s first full-time director.

Compiled from the Valley Sun Archives by Carol Cormaci.