Old News

Come and support the unique programs of The Museum School, a free and public charter school that cares about kids and the arts. The Silent Auction closes when the Live Auction begins at 8:45. Music. Cocktails. Desserts. $10 donation at the door. Location: Art Academy of San Diego on the corner of 9th and G.

This year the picnic will be June 10 from 11am - 3pm in Pantoja Park. The permit has been filed and the bounce house has been reserved. Families are encouraged to bring blankets, food for themselves, and an activity to share or a contribution toward the bounce house. For some of the activity ideas from last year, visit the Picnic2005 page.

The visits with hardhats and clipboards never stopped, but signs of change were scarce until May 2. A new perimeter fence has been installed and heavy machinery has been in motion with loads of gravel and dirt. The plywood along the edge of the foundation has been removed. Forms are being built for additional concrete. Construction has resumed through loans. Additional contributions are very much needed and appreciated!

The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation’s annual nationwide event that raises awareness and funds to fight arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability. Choose from a three-mile or one-mile Walk route on the scenic course along downtown's beautiful waterfront.

All proceeds from the Walk go directly support programs and services that improve the quality of life for the 700,000 adults and children living with arthritis in San Diego and Imperial counties. Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in our county and affects 70 million people nationwide.

Enjoy the festivities and fun which will include a Kidz Zone, free health information, goodie bags, food, beverages and more! There is no cost to participate. Raise $100 or more and earn an official Arthritis Walk T-shirt. To register, call 858-492-1090.

This free event is the largest open air gallery in the region and showcases some of the finest painting, sculpture, photography, music, drama and dance created by local, national and international artists.

Local arts organizations team up with ArtWalk to offer fun and creative hands-on projects for kids throughout the ArtWalk weekend at Amici Park. Come take a workshop with the Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Art’s instructors and watch circus students perform amazing feats. ArtsBusXpress will give children a chance to color and draw - a school bus, of course! Adults will get a chance to win a free RIDE TO THE ARTS for the classroom of their choice. Make a marine theme craft with folks from Birch Aquarium at Scripps and explore the wonders of the ocean. Make & paint a one-of-a-kind book with folks from the San Diego Museum of Art. PicART present "Paint a piece of Picasso", an enjoyable activity for the whole family.

See you there!

A rare implosion of a building will take place in downtown San Diego on April 15 at 8am to make way for a courthouse expansion. Fuses will be set in strategic places within the Hotel San Diego, and at the crucial moment, a blast will be heard and the building will fall inward onto itself. For more, visit the HotelSanDiego page.

(Let's bring out the kids and try to get a good view. They'll love it!)

Saw this in the Reader and thought some of you might enjoy it! I think Pierre might get some fun ideas of his own!

During third annual Canstruction competition, 14 architecture and engineering firms attempt to build "most bodacious super-sized structure" using only canned foods, tape, and foam core. Participants work from 8 am to 8 pm on Wed. 3/22, at New School of Architecture, 1249 F Street. Public viewing is 3/23 - 3/26. Hours: Thurs, 2-6pm; Fri, 9am-7pm; Sat, 9am-5pm; Sun, 10am-2pm. Admission: One can of food. Organizers hope to collect 40,000 pounds of canned food for local charities (619-235-4100)

Taming the Pacific Swell opens on Saturday, March 11 with a big splash! Visitors to the museum that day will be greeted by a display of vintage Woodies, the surfer’s classic car of choice, from San Diego Woodies. Kikilia’s Flowers of the Pacific will be performing authentic Polynesian dances, surf music will be provided by the Kent Doonan Band and legendary surfer Mike Doyle will be signing copies of his book “Morning Glass.” The exhibit will be officially opened at 10:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting by State Senator Bill Morrow followed by an ugliest Hawaiian shirt contest on board the Star of India. Later that evening, Robert Greaves will be hosting a special showing of his surfing documentary “Liquid Stage” at 7:00 p.m. followed by a screening of “Five Summer Stories” which Surfer Magazine called “the finest surf film ever made.” Best of all-everything is included with regular museum admission! http://www.sdmaritime.org

Downtown Camp Fire USA leader Julie Licari is spreading the word about Absolutely Incredible Kid Day on March 16, 2006. Camp Fire is encouraging adults to write letters of love and support to the children in their lives.

Downtown Camp Fire USA leader Julie Licari is coordinating creating Valentines for Veterans at Fast Track Kids in Tierrasanta on Feb 10 from 10:30am to 2pm. The lovingly made cards will be delivered to homed Veterans at the Chula Vista Veterans Home on Feb 13 at 10am and you are also invited to meet & greet these great Americans who love to see the children the most! If you cannot make the event but would still like to create some please contact Julie (619-778-4236). For more info & directions to Fast Track Kids (off Santo/52) visit http://www.fastrackids.com or call them at 858-565-0054.

Celestina will be bringing a Valentine's Day craft to playgroup this Tuesday. She reports that most of the kids should be able to do it with the help of a parent and that she has plenty of supplies to share!

The Museum has received a $5 million gift from Joan and Irwin Jacobs as well as an additional $2.5 million from two families who wish to remain anonymous. “These extraordinary donations assure that this wonderful new facility will begin final construction shortly with our grand opening scheduled for Fall 2007. The Jacobs are truly visionaries and we are grateful their gift has inspired others to give”, said Kay Wagner, the Museums Executive Director. The new Rob Wellington Quigley designed facility at 200 West Island Avenue, will have a completion value of $25 million. The land is owned by the Museum. The facility’s structural foundation, lower level, and seventy (70) subterranean parking spaces are completed. The remaining construction costs for the building are estimated at $13 million. Two of San Diego’s leading community banks, Torrey Pines Bank and First National Bank have agreed to provide any necessary construction loans. The final phase of construction for the street and upper levels is scheduled to begin in March.

This exciting news does not bring an end to the fund raising. All gifts, large or small, are very much appreciated.

Children's Librarian Nancy McQuillan is considering providing a toddler storytime at the Central Library. "This is a bit different from what we've been doing, as the age group ranges lower --say 18 months to 3 years. The format is different, too --shorter, and it would be a lapsit kind of thing, with mother and child participating. There will be music and other sorts of things besides stories, and the stories will be younger. The size of the group would be somewhat smaller, also." If there is interest from even just a few people, she'd be happy to set something up. Call or email Nancy at (619)236-5833 or nmcquillan at sandiego dot gov.

Another year of fun awaits in the Children's room of the downtown library. For the dates and times of the stories, crafts, music, and more, visit the Schedule or (for high speed users) view the program flier or the story and craft flier.

The performers at the Fantasy on Ice Tree Lighting were incredible, but Santa had difficulties. After a few successful laps of high fives, Santa wiped out. Parents scrambled to cover their children's eyes while Santa's facial accoutrements were restored. A wave to the crowd as he departed signaled Santa was OK. The Olympic skater performed backflips and spins with apparent ease, but is not known to be able to deliver gifts to a world full of children in a single night.

How does the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation manage to bring together so much entertainment and activities and only charge $5 per person? If you missed this year's event, mark your calendar for next year now!

Years in the making, the final draft of the Community Plan will be presented for approval on 2/28/06. The draft includes significant increases in park space and a TDR program to help make the parks a reality. For more on the update, visit http://www.ccdc.com/planupdate/index.html

Todd will be providing public comment at the meeting. The easy public comment will be recommending that the City Council move forward with the plan. Implementation can't begin until the plan has been approved, and implementing parks is clearly desirable. A more divisive issue is whether to approve the plan with changes proposed by CPI. (Click here to view the proposed changes) Some parents have expressed concerns about whether downtown will allow for a presence of middle class children. The proposed changes could affect the outcome. CCDC has indicated job quality is outside the scope of the community plan. Todd is expecting a call from CCDC this week clarifying their position and hoping for input from other parents on this matter. He is concerned that without alignment of CCDCs goals with the goals City Council demonstrated in approving the Ballpark Village CBA over the CCDC Ballpark Village agreement, the future holds more back room CBAs. Many are concerned that approving the CPI changes would open the door to union labor being used downtown and disadvantage downtown relative to other communities.

The Children's Museum has received tentative approval for a $15 million construction loan. Resumption of construction is expected in December or January with completion in the first half of 2007. CCDC has stated that the neighboring park will be built concurrently.

This exciting news does not bring an end to the fund raising. The $15 million loan is larger than the $5 million previously left to be raised because it includes updates to the construction costs and additional work on the interior of the building. The fund raising will now need to cover both the principal and the interest on that $15 million loan. All gifts, large or small, are very much appreciated.

Downtown Camp Fire leader Julie Licari reports:

Exciting fun awaits every Thursday 10-12:30pm for Families and Playgroup Friends at Camp Fire's Camp Cahito a wonderful private youth camp in Balboa Park.

Cahito is directly adjacent to Balboa Park @ 3101 Balboa Drive across from the 6th avenue playground in Hillcrest/Bankers Hill area of the county.

This camp provides a true outdoors campy feel with adventure lurking behind every tree! The facility has large spaces for kids to run & play, picnic tables, restroom facilities, and we will have use of one cabin for inclement weather if needed. Each week there will be activities planned.

You do not need to be a Camp Fire or playgroup Member to attend, but I guarantee you'll become a Camp Fire Friend! All ages of children are invited!

Email of call if you have further questions!

619-778-4236 julielicari@yahoo.com

Actual snow will cover parts of the Park at the Park (adjacent to Petco Park) on Saturday, December 10. Bring the whole family for FREE sledding and other children's activities. Canned goods for charity will be collected at the event.

A community workshop for the park that will be between 14th, 15th, Island, and J was held November 19. A variety of community organizations and residents were in attendance. The meeting was organized by CCDC and hosted by the Potiker Family Residence. Several representatives of Pinnacle International, the developer of the park and adjacent condos, were involved, including the CEO, Michael De Cotiis.

A process for establishing a name for the park is being developed, but in the meantime many are calling the park Rose Park, after an historic park that was nearby. The history of the original Rose Park was presented at the meeting.

The features of the new park were the focus of the meeting. Fundamental to the plans for the park is a food and/or beverage business in the northwest corner that will include public restrooms that are open 6am to 9pm daily. Businesses and residences in the base of the condos will have entrances along the border with the park, improving park safety. Art, children, and seniors were common points of discussion during the workshop. The three will likely blend through artistic play equipment that is visible from nearby seating. The topography of the site lends itself to viewing areas near the cafe (the high point) with active uses farther south and east. A large portion of the park will be grass, but some areas will include other forms of landscaping, such as flower gardens. One summary of the park vision was that it will be similar to Pantoja park, but with a cafe, play equipment, some flowers, and more places to sit. Other ideas that were brought up at the meeting will likely be saved for the larger park that is being planned for a few blocks north of the park being discussed.

Park completion is currently estimated to be in late 2007 or early 2008, but the estimate was clearly rough. The community input from the workshop will be used to create a park design that will be presented at the next workshop, currently scheduled for January 7, 2006.

With the sun setting so early and holidays just around the corner, Julie is organizing a series of indoor get togethers in place of the Pantoja Park meetups. For the details, visit the Neighborhood Nights page.

Bleachers are available to view some incredible skating and the rink is open for public skating later. The headliner skating is broadcast live on NBC at 7:30, but other excellent skaters perform earlier in the evening. To get a seat, it's best to arrive by 7PM. Several families attended last year and we had a great time. Hope to see you there!

The Children's Museum presented plans for raising the remainder of the funds needed for construction at a meeting with CCDC on October 12. When asked about the outcome, CCDC reported "We're trying our best to make this one work!" and stated that the deadline will be extended another 90 days. (The original deadline was in May.) Confidence has been expressed that construction will begin by the end of January, but contributions are still needed. As Kay Wagner says, they "appreciate every check, large or small."

8 fiberglass goats painted by local artists are being auctioned at the Fashion Valley Saks 5th Avenue as a fundraiser associated with the Wild About Cashmere promotion. The goats and bid sheets are on the first floor near the elevator.

Information about the Children's Museum will be distributed at the Downtown by Design event October 14 and 15.

December 8 - 11, UTC is hosting its first Winterwalk event. The Children's Museum will be there to offer activities for the kids (such as making an ornament) and it will provide another opportunity to increase awareness. Volunteers are needed to help with this event. If you are available to help, please contact melinda @ sdcm.org.

Millions more dollars are needed to complete the project, but Children's Museum staff are optimistic. For ways you can help, visit http://www.sdchildrensmuseum.org.

A public workshop regarding the EIR will be held on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Embarcadero Planning Center (formerly Coral Reef Restaurant) at 585 Harbor Lane, San Diego, CA. For more about the EIR, visit the Bazaar Del Mundo wiki page.

Many groups came together with common interests at the parks and amenities summit held September 29, 2005. Two presentations preceded the public and board input. The first provided an overview of the challenges downtown faces with respect to public restrooms and techniques employed by other cities to face those challenges. Human and animal waste was a common topic of the evening. In the second presentation, Garry Papers highlighted the park priorities of the updated community plan. The SD-FUN input was well received. See the ParksAndAmenitiesInput page for the full text. The issues raised were:

• Build the Children's Museum
• Build the Children's Museum Park
• Add Play Equipment at Pantoja Park
• Keep momentum on the park at 14th and J (Rose Park)
• Replace the sand at Fir and State with a rubberized surface
• Add swings to downtown parks
• Keep momentum toward a Balboa Park Shuttle

Tweet Street was missed in the SD-FUN list, but residents of Cortez Hill were present to push for completion of that park.

During the meeting and break, officials spoke of progress in the Children's Museum. October 12 was not viewed so much as a deadline, but as a point on a path. The adjacent park is delayed by the museum delays, but consideration will be given to proceeding with the park in parallel. The request for play equipment in Pantoja Park was supported by a neighbor without children. Keeping momentum on Rose Park and the shuttle were mentioned by multiple board members. The issues of animal feces were brought up many times. The improvements since Larry Marshall and Petco provided bags for cleanup were recognized, but a next step was not clear. Good news for Tweet Street is expected in October or November.

Many, many other excellent points regarding parks and amenities were made at the meeting. To view the full summit, tune to CityTV (channel 24 or on the web at http://www.sandiego.gov/citytv/programming/schedule.shtml) October 2, at 6PM.

Thanks to Eilene Zimmerman, Gary Payne, and all the folks at San Diego Magazine for sharing with their readers the joys of family life downtown. The potential downsides were unvarnished, but this overall bright view will help bring families from suburban to urban addresses.

(The following is extracted from http://www.gaslampquarter.org/events/fallback.php)

The Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation is gearing to throw their annual children’s historic street fair, the Fifth Annual Union Bank of California Fall Back Festival on Sunday, October 30th, 2005 at 4th Avenue and Island in front of the historic William Heath Davis House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Your little cowpokes can learn how to make a horse shoe from the real life blacksmith or dig up a dinosaur at the archaeological dig. GOLD! Your buckaroo can see what it’s like to strike it rich with real gold pannin’ and even earn their green thumb by learnin’ how farmers make magic with just one seed and their antique farm equipment. Don’t forget to perfect your yee-haw on a real life pony ride and see what getting around the Gaslamp was like before cars by riding on a real horse-drawn wagon.

There will be plenty of mighty fine historical societies from around the county comin’ out to give kids the opportunity to learn first hand the history of San Diego. Visit booths like the Women’s Historical Museum & Educational Center, San Diego Firehouse Museum, San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, La Mesa Historical Society, San Diego Archeological Center, Rancho Guajone & Lost Penasquitos Adobes, San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, and the J* Company Youth Theatre. These historical societies will have heaps of activities for the lil’ ones and will also display pictures, artifacts and information about life in San Diego during the late 1800’s. If your little rascals fill out their “passport” to the past by visiting every historical booth, they will get a genuine $1.00 gold coin from Union Bank of California.

The Wild West hits the main stage with western tunes from bands such as Hot Rod Lincoln, Big Rig Deluxe, The Stilletos and the Woodrows. We reckon’ you’ll want to head over to the other stages as well for a swingin’ good time with performances such as Sq uare Dancing, Mexican Folk Songs, Indian Tribal Dancers, western comedy and magic and even a Historic Gaslamp Puppet show. Watch out for those rowdy Alpine Outlaws who will be takin’ the stages by storm with their Wild West shootouts, Bang Bang!! If you think those shootouts are loud wait until you see the real life cannon shoot off! Between sets, if you dare, wrangle up the bunch and head over to the William Heath Davis House for a tour of the “House of a Thousand Spiders”. Practice your “seww-eee”, because this years Fallback Festival will have all those contests you’ve come to expect, such as ice cream eating, pig calling, spaghetti eating and famous costume contest.

They ain’t finished yet, no sir! With all this excitement your tummy will be grumblin’ but don’t fret none, cuz there will be plenty of bounty to go around. Mosey on over where Dick’s Last Resort will be giving the youngin’, under 12 year’s of age, free hot dogs. You can even tantalize your sweet tooth with free kid’s size scoops of ice cream provided by Marble Slab Creamery. If you get a hankering for something more, then you can enjoy scrumptious treats like chuck wagon BBQ, old fashioned kettle corn and wash it all down with some old fashion lemonade. Shoot, as if this weren’t enough, the old time candy store will also have old time hard candies for a penny a piece!

The candy ain’t the only thing that’s affordable; tickets to the Union Back of California Fallback Festival are only $5.00 for children and adults, while kids under two are free! Proceeds from this event will go to the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation to assist in the preservation of the history of the Gaslamp Quarter and San Diego for years to come. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact, 619.233.5008 or 619.233.4692, or you can visit http://www.gaslampquarter.org or http://www.signonsandiego.com. So round up the herd for a hearty amount of fun and education down at the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation’s Union Bank of California Fallback Festival!

Many thanks to the Children's Librarians for putting on a great party. The crafts, the food, and the music were outstanding! Who would have imagined a steel drum band playing from among the board books? They did and all were glad.

The Downtown Communications Council (DCC), a collaboration of communications professionals from public and private agencies downtown, hosted the first of two free-movie events featuring Field of Dreams, on September 10. The event drew more than 100 people to watch the baseball classic on the Park at the Park Video Board. The DCC asked participants to bring a canned food item to benefit the San Diego Rescue Mission and St. Vincent De Paul. The Red Cross was also on hand to take donations for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

The Little Italy Mercato Sabato has been postponed until sometime in October.

Watch for an upcoming announcement!

Mercato Sabato

sandra@viva-city.info

The Downtown for the Holidays Committee has unveiled several ambitious plans to transform downtown into a winter wonderland this holiday season. Committee members from several different public and private organizations have dedicated time and resources to the program, which will enhance existing events and add several new components. Events this year will include snow at Park at the Park, a storefront and building lobby decorating contest, carolers along Fifth Avenue, outdoor ice skating and a tree lighting ceremony on Horton Square.

That is part of the current quiet zone plan (to reduce the train blasts). The planned configuration would likely lead to faster traffic next to the park. An alternative being considered is to leave G Street as it is and instead make Kettner one-way. (Kettner has the most interaction with the tracks.) For more on this topic, visit Viva-city at http://www.viva-city.info/news.htm. To get involved, send an email to Sandra at sandra@viva-city.info.

For more information on these activities and events, contact Amy Pasko at SanDiegoMomsConnect@gmail.com.

• Little Italy Parents Connect.
• Little Italy Moms Connect.
• Playgroup for children living in Little Italy.

Nanci Winfield has formed a group for babies born from 2004 to the present with a focus on downtown moms and dads. The group meets on Friday afternoons. Locations have not yet been finalized. For more information, please email Nanci at 2004@sd-fun.org.

Broadway San Diego will bring the following shows to the Civic Theatre downtown:

• The King and I: September 13-18
• Disney's The Lion King: December 9-Jan 15, tickets on sale May 21

For more information: http://www.broadwaysd.com

Catryn is organizing a movie morning for all the moms/dads and kids at the Gaslamp Pacific Theatres. The shows would probably start between 10AM and noon and the feature would vary by date. She needs to know how many parents would like to attend, and what weekday would be the best. Obviously all the kids are allowed to come also! Please RSVP by e-mailing info@BestSanDiegoRealtor.com. If many attend, there is a better chance of doing it as a monthly event, so if you are interested, please come!

Highlights include addtional parks (for funding visit DevelopmentFeesForParksAndFire), improved connectivity, and conveniently located goods and services. A public information session was held the evening of November 18, 2004. The handouts from the meeting are available from CCDC and a copy will be available for viewing at playdates. The complete draft is available on CD from CCDC or from the CCDC website.

Viva-city reports, "October 31, 4:00p. The neighborhood children are meeting at Pantoja Park, then off to City Walk & Park Row for organized Trick or Treating!"

Julie forwarded the following welcome message...

"Hi All!

I've been working on an event for my non-profit (Harmonium...we do Klassic Kids, have '6 to 6' childcare sites, family counseling, Epicentre teen center, etc.) that's upcoming next Wednesday.

We're celebrating our 30th anniversary at the House of Blues downtown and it's open to the public (including kids!).

Andrea Naversen from KUSI will emcee the celebration and Azim Khamisa (peace activist) is keynoting (the presentation portion of the evening is short!!). There's food (buffet), music (from 3 different bands...all kid-friendly...the last one is reggae though!).

I wanted to let you know if you live near downtown and want to swing by the House of Blues Wednesday, November 2 from 6:00-9:30PM.

The catch? It's a $25 admission and $5 for kids over 5 (kids 5 and under are free). So... maybe a bit pricey, but all $$ goes to a good cause (funding family programs in San Diego).

Here is a website for info: http://www.harmonium-inc.org/ann/

Debbie"

Bring the kids to Westfield Horton Plaza on Halloween night between 6 and 8 PM for a fun and safe night of Trick-or-Treat. Over 75 retailers will be participating handing out candy and other goodies.

Lists of partipating retailers are available at the shopping concierge on Level 1 near Victoria Secret.

http://www.westfield.com/hortonplaza/whatson/index.html?centre_id=hortonplaza#HalloweenatHortonPlaza

The San Diego Zoo was founded October 2, 1916, so October is a very special month for us! We celebrate by offering free admission to children ages 3 to 11, when accompanied by an adult, during the entire month of October.

Cub Scout Pack 15 is holding its fall Roundup at the Scout Room at the First Presbyterian Church, 320 Date Street, on September 29 from 6:30PM - 8PM. Parents and boys interested in scouting are invited! Call Andrew (619-518-1088) for additional information.

“Field of Dreams” and “The Wizard of Oz” are to be shown on the Park at the Park Video Board

PETCO Park is home to more than San Diego Padres baseball this summer, as the Downtown Communications Council (DCC), a collaborative of communications professionals from public and private agencies downtown, will host two free movie events featuring “Field of Dreams” and “The Wizard of Oz,” on the Park at the Park Video Board. The movies will be shown on Saturday, September 10 (“Field of Dreams” at approximately 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, September 24 (“The Wizard of Oz,” p.m. family matinee). In lieu of admission, moviegoers are asked to bring canned food items which will be donated to the San Diego Rescue Mission and St. Vincent de Paul Village. The events are being sponsored by Centex Homes, Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC), Barratt American, the Downtown Residential Marketing Alliance, Mission Federal Credit Union, CJUF Smart Corner LLC, the San Diego Padres and Cox Communications, who is providing media assistance.

“The Movies at the Park are a wonderful chance for the community to celebrate downtown San Diego and benefit many worthy causes,” said DCC Chair and CCDC Communications Director Derek Danziger. “San Diego has always been a big city with a small town feel, and we believe that this event will bring new downtown residents and people from throughout San Diego together to experience downtown's excitement and growing sense of community."

The San Diego Padres will provide concessions for sale (popcorn, candy, sodas and water), along with providing security and restroom facilities for the events. Families are encouraged to bring blankets or towels and food and beverages. Please note that no alcohol or lawn chairs will be permitted in the Park. Entrances to the event will be through the "Downtown Gate" at Eighth Avenue and J Street or the "Balboa Park Gate" at Ninth Avenue and J Street.

Suggested parking locations within short walking distance of PETCO Park include the 1,000-space 6th and K Parkade and the 1,100-space Padres Parkade at Tenth Avenue and J Street. Additionally, the San Diego Trolley will run regular service on both nights with suggested stops at Fifth Avenue across from the San Diego Convention Center and at Park Boulevard between Market Street and Island Avenue. For more event information, visit http://www.sandiegodowntown.org or for additional transit and parking options, visit http://www.paradiseinprogress.org.

PADRES-DODGERS GAME ALSO TO BE AIRED LIVE ON PARK AT THE PARK VIDEO BOARD! On September 10, fans are also invited to watch the Padres continue their quest for the National League West title at PETCO Park. First pitch of the September 10 Padres-Dodgers game (same date as “Field of Dreams”) will be broadcast live on the Park at the Park Video Board with a 1:10 p.m. start. Entrance to this free event begins at 12:30 p.m., with the first 500 fans receiving a "Padres Pennant Push" T-Shirt. There will be featured activities for kids, including interactive games in the Padres Power Alley and a craft table to make "BEAT LA" signs. The afternoon will feature promotions and raffles between innings. Ballpark concessions will be available for purchase.

Crafts, music, and food are planned for the Children's Room at the Central Library on September 24, starting at 10:30AM.

Shortly after the May deadline, Pam Hamilton was asked if the Children's Museum would be appearing on a CCDC agenda in the near future. She commented, "Don't give up yet!". She said the Children's Museum board is preparing materials and a meeting had been scheduled for July. While no formal extension had been granted, that at least meant no action would be taken to buy back the parcel.

This implicit extension has now been continued through September 15th. Children's Museum staff will be presenting their plan for raising the remainder of the funds needed. Of course, it is desired (and anticipated) that significant additional funds will be raised in the meantime.

Recently, the Children's Museum came $500,000 closer to being funded thanks to a gift from Qualcomm. The official announcement came June 21st as part of Qualcomm's 20th Anniversary celebration. The Building Industry Association (BIA) recently contributed $50,000 and the BIA Cares for Kids is challenging downtown residential builders to each match that amount. Greg Cox led the Board of Supervisors to a $100,000 contribution.

Millions more are needed to complete the project, but Children's Museum staff are optimistic. Fundraiser Davis Nuffer's willingness to assist contributes to that positive thinking. For ways you can help, visit http://www.sdchildrensmuseum.org.

Thanks go to everyone at Borders for a magical evening Friday July 15 (and into the early hours of July 16). Everyone had clearly put their hearts into the decorating and activities. The fans responded enthusiastically and were quite a sight.

Sunday storytimes will be including bits of Harry Potter until the entire book has been read. Storytime will continue to begin with a richly illustrated story for the little ones.

San Diego Metropolitan (http://www.sandiegometro.com/) is shining a spotlight on the growing trend of urban families in their July issue.

Nancy McQuillan of the San Diego Central Library Children’s Room sent out the schedule for the summer reading program: “Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds”. Read books, win prizes, and have fun all summer long! Ask at the desk for a reading log. Visit the Schedule for the lineup. (Filter on East Village to make the events easier to pick out.)

The Museum School, a public San Diego City School Charter School sponsored by the Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego, is accepting applications for enrollment in the 2005/2006 academic year. The Balboa Park area school has openings for third graders and is still accepting applications for a waiting list for grade levels 4-6. The deadline for enrollment is June 30. For the complete press release, visit ChildrensMuseumSchool.

June is "Thank You San Diego" month at the Aerospace Museum, commemorating their 25th anniversary in the Ford Building. Admission rates will be slashed by 75% so that San Diegans pay 25% of the normal fees. (only for San Diego County residents- must show proof of residency) A family membership is available for $25.

Families will be gathering in Pantoja Park this year on June 18 from noon to 4pm. Bring a trike, bike, or wagon for the "mini-parade". Do you have cones, hula hoops, or other materials to contribute to the obstacle course? A bounce house and craft materials have been arranged. For more details, visit Picnic2005.

An updated conceptual plan for the park that will be between 14th, 15th, Island, and J was presented at the May 18, 2005 CCAC meeting. Details of the plan will be determined in community workshops that are expected in August. For more, visit the 14thAndIsland wiki page.

When asked if the Children's Museum would be appearing on a CCDC agenda in the near future, Pam Hamilton commented, "Don't give up yet!". She said the Children's Museum board is preparing materials and a meeting is scheduled for July. While no formal extension has been granted, that at least means no action will be taken to buy back the parcel in the next couple of months.

A description of the current situation by Gary Shaw can be found at the San Diego Metropolitan website: http://www.sandiegometro.com/2005/may/publisher.php

Viva-city maintains a news story on the construction budget issues: http://www.viva-city.info/news.htm.

If you haven't yet gotten a Children's Museum tile, now is a great time to help. In order to secure the bonds and other funds needed to continue building, at least $3 million needs to be raised ASAP. For the full letter from Kay Wagner (executive director) click here.

An invitation from Brenda Kayzar, president of EVCAN:

"I'm the president of EVCAN, a community group in East Village. We are working to improve the quality of life in our community and will start work on our first beautification project this week. We are painting a mural on a dilapidated warehouse at the corner of Seventeenth and K Streets. The warehouse is across the street from an apartment complex that houses many families (about 100 children!) and the Neil Good Day Center which provides day services for the homeless. The location, near the freeway, invites much illegal activity. Our mural will reflect the pride we have in the community and send the message, that we care for the children who live here. As part of the painting process we are planning a Children's Paint Day on June 11th from 11:00 to 1:00. We'd like to invite you, as families living downtown, to participate. So please be sure to put it on your schedule to join us, and mural artist Mario Torero on the 11th. I've attached a copy of the project schedule for your review and be sure to take a look at our website http://www.evcan.org to find out more information about us and our mural project."

Brenda's attachment can be found at the EVCANMural wiki page. When asked about the intended age range, Brenda indicated that all ages are welcome: "We will have a place for the little ones, but we would ask that parents be there to watch them. Older children (teens) are welcome to work on the more structured areas with the help of an artist." She also confirmed that this is "an 'open' invitation event for the downtown community and neighboring areas such as Barrio Logan and Logan Heights."

The final schematic design meeting was held April 28, 2005 at the Downtown Information Center. The design was approved along with the staff recommendation to begin implementation with the area along Harbor Drive between Broadway and B Street. The reduction of Harbor Drive to 3 lanes will be delayed until B Street is opened between Pacific Highway and Harbor Drive. Details of the meeting are at North Embarcadero.

Don Mullen provided an update that progress is being made on the pedi-cab issue. A Manager's report concerning the full regulation of pedi-cabs is being finalized in preparation for discussion at the PS&NS Committee. A date at PS&NS has not been set. The Deputy Mayor's memo requesting the prohibition of pedi-cabs on the MLK Walkway is being acted on by City staff. The posting of signs will occur in the next 45 days and SDPD will start citing drivers thereafter. For more on this issue, visit PediCabs.

CCDC reports: "In response to the large number of comments received during the public comment period, the Airpot Authority Board's Land Use Committee voted on May 2 to accept its staff's recommendation to extend the adoption of the Plan for an additional 90 days (from the previous June 30 date) in order to allow further study of the issues as well as to continue working with the various jurisdictions and public."

Borders has been providing storytime at 4PM on Sundays and currently plans to continue to do so. For at least the month of April, a 2PM time slot will be given a chance to compete. Each Sunday in April children are welcome for storytime at both 2PM and 4PM.

Children and families are invited to the San Diego Children’s Museum’s KidsZest Family Arts Day on Saturday, April 30th from 10 am to 4 pm at Horton Square in front of the NBC Building to help raise money for the construction of the new Children’s Museum. This event is free, though donations are welcomed and accepted.

The fun-filled community event will offer budding Michelangelo’s a clay play station where they can sculpt to their heart’s content, create "food" out of colorful Playdoh at the Culinary Culture Cart, handcraft paper mache masks and more.

Other activities include international music, circus performers, face painting, raffles for tickets to family attractions and kid-friendly food. The Gamelon (Balinese) Music and Dance Ensemble from the Children’s Museum Charter School will perform with music lessons by the Charter School students. Also performing is the Eveoke Dance Theatre Youth Performing Group.

The San Diego Children’s Museum’s KidsZest Family Arts Day is sponsored by American Assets, NBC 7/39 and KPRI.

For more information call (619)233-8792 or visit http://www.sdchildrensmuseum.org.

The Gaslamp Borders has announced a free weekly storytime, Sundays at 4PM. When asked about the intended age range, they responded "Up to age 8; starting around Kindergarten." Younger ages seem OK too; the January 30 storytime featured Curious George and Miss Spider's Tea Party. February 13 featured numerous books, most of which were chosen from a pile by the children in attendance.

CCDC is gearing up to do a new downtown video. The production firm will be shooting video and talking to families at Pantoja Park this Wednesday at 6PM "to show people that there are actually families downtown and they love it."

On April 9, join local artists and the Museum Without Walls in creating an imaginary airport, represented with models and murals. This event will be held at the Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park and the admission is free. 10AM - 4PM

Julie Licari reports that for a second year the Moms of San Diego Moms Connect have teamed with the San Diego Children's Museum to raise very needed funds to build a new downtown museum. You are invited to attend Crazy Hair Day April 12 at 10:30AM at the downtown Borders book store to hear Crazy Hair Day read. The book is about a boy who mixes up his days to go to school with Crazy Hair and goes to school with crazy hair on the wrong day! Moms, dads, and kids will enthusiastically be attending in wild hair themselves!

Corporation honored for its commitment to a pedestrian-friendly downtown

WalkSanDiego, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting walkability and pedestrian safety, presented the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) with the Golden Footprints award. WalkSanDiego cited CCDC's dedication to creating pedestrian-friendly environments, such as the sidewalk pop-outs (widened sidewalks at intersections) and a scrambled intersection signal light at Fifth Avenue and Market Street, pop-outs at Third Avenue and Cedar Street, the creation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade and attention to transparency and activity at the ground level of development.

"Some of our most important work is to ensure that walking downtown is a memorable and positive experience," said CCDC President Peter Hall. "We're very pleased to receive this award and will continue working toward a more pedestrian-friendly downtown."

CCDC Senior Planner Alexandra Elias accepted the award on behalf of the corporation. Current downtown infrastructure projects dealing with pedestrian issues include sidewalk repair and beautification in the Core area, Little Italy, the Gaslamp Quarter, along the North Embarcadero, and the Park-to-Bay Link, a $30 million public infrastructure project along Park Boulevard that will link Balboa Park with San Diego Bay.

The upcoming Community Plan for downtown will include an enhanced focus on the pedestrian environment. For more information on public infrastructure projects or the Community Plan Update visit http://www.ccdc.com .

Less space for diners due to the construction of the Hard Rock Hotel has pushed the Old Spaghetti Factory to close its doors. The Union Tribune has a more complete article. Closing less than a month after Pat and Oscars, the future of family dining downtown looks bleak. The UT article provides some hope, indicating "the chain would like to open a new Spaghetti Factory elsewhere in the Gaslamp Quarter if a roomier building can be found" and "[CCDC] is ready to help". Derek Danziger of CCDC was quoted, "We would hate to lose them, so that's definitely something we'll work to see what we can do." If CCDC can't save the Old Spaghetti Factory, hopefully additional emphasis will be placed on family dining in future planning.

Alexandra pointed out that with Pat and Oscars gone, we haven't had any dinner meetups in a long time. She recommended the St. Tropez just west of the NBC building. Sounds great! This now appears on the Schedule for April 5 at 5:30PM. Start thinking of places you'd like to meet!

Let's meet on the grass for an afternoon ballgame. The game is at 1:05, but be there by noon to save some space on the grass. Some park passes have already been purchased. Email mail@sd-fun.org to ask that tickets be held for you - $5 per person over 36" tall (or get them at the ticket counter if any are left).

Junior captains will learn how a sailboat’s “engines” get their power from the wind as children visiting the Maritime Museum of San Diego on Sunday, February 13 take part in mini-sailboat races. Kids supply the wind power and the museum supplies the boats. Children 12 and under will be admitted free all day and all sailboat racers get a prize! Families can also enjoy setting sails on the Star of India, sea chantey sing-a-longs, cruising on San Diego Bay aboard the museum’s historic 1914 Pilot boat and more!

San Diegan's will celebrate their unique cultural diversity at the Seventh Annual San Diego Multicultural Festival on Saturday, January 15, 2005. The free event will feature a variety of food, entertainment and fun for the entire family. The festival takes place from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. coinciding with the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, and will be held on the Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade on the north side of Harbor Drive between Market and Fourth Avenue, across from the San Diego Convention Center. See MulticulturalFestival for more details.

Several downtown businesses got into the holiday spirit this year by participating in the 2004 "Downtown for the Holidays" Decorating Contest, sponsored by the Downtown Communications Council (DCC), the U.S. Grant Hotel and Coach U.S.A. Downtown building managers and shopkeepers decorated their lobbies and storefronts to help San Diego celebrate the season. "We're trying to involve the local business community in downtown's holiday celebrations," said Derek Danziger, DCC chairman and communications director for Centre City Development Corporation. "We hope this is the start of a holiday decorating tradition in downtown San Diego that will continue to grow into a large annual event, just as it has in some of the nation's other major cities." A diverse array of judges spent hours shuttling from building to building, rating each design in several different categories. The winners are:

The City Council approved fees to support downtown parks and fire stations at their December 7 meeting. See DevelopmentFeesForParksAndFire for more details.

December 6, 2004 was the last day for the downtown Pat & Oscars.

The downtown weather forecast now calls for snow in early December, along with ice-skating, holiday window displays and much more. No, it's not a forecast for New York or Chicago, but downtown San Diego, where a collaborative of public and private organizations making up the Downtown Communications Council (DCC) have come together to form "Downtown for the Holidays." This umbrella program highlights a variety of events and activities for the entire family, including a day with actual snow at the Park at the Park.

"Downtown San Diego has so many wonderful opportunities for families during the holidays that we felt it was important to consolidate this broad list of activities into a cohesive program," said Derek Danziger, communications director for CCDC and chairman of the DCC. "The Downtown for the Holidays programs will run from November 18 through December 31, and we encourage people of all ages, religions and nationalities to join in the excitement."

The complete calendar with additional details and information is available online at http://www.sandiegodowntown.org or by clicking on the Downtown for the Holidays logo on the Web sites of many of the collaborative members. Organizations also have the opportunity to self-list their downtown holiday events on this Web site, subject to approval.

Guests are Encouraged to Bring a Canned Food Item to Gain Admittance

As part of this year’s Downtown for the Holidays program, the San Diego Padres will import approximately 30 tons of snow for a holiday event at PETCO Park’s Park at the Park. Picnic Hill will be turned into a sledding area for children, while carolers will be on hand singing holiday songs and animated classic holiday shows will be presented on the FriarVision video board. In addition, holiday themed food will be served as “Santa Friar” and his elf face-painters entertain young children, including the disadvantaged children from the Monarch School who gain early entrance to interact with Padres’ coaches and players. The Snow Day event is one of several holiday activities taking place downtown this Holiday Season.

• Sleds will be provided for young children
• Each child will receive a candy cane upon entrance
• Guests are asked to bring a non-perishable canned food item for admission
• Items collected will be donated to the San Diego Food Bank

Saturday, December 11, 2004 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (or until snow lasts)

• 9:00 a.m. Snow arrives and applied at Park at the Park
• 9:30 a.m. Monarch School children admitted
• 10:00 a.m. Gates open for general public

The Snow Day will be held at PETCO Park’s Park at the Park. Guests can enter at the Balboa and Downtown gates off J. Street.

Julie reports, "A substantial amount of broken bottle glass has been found in Pantoja Park. I personally found lots around the tree bases in 4 trees in the open grass areas."

Thirty-two of the internationally celebrated Nieto Anton’s masterworks, which have been on display in the best galleries all over the world, will be for sale at an auction and reception on Saturday, November 20, from 1-4 pm at The Grande Colonial Inn, La Jolla. Proceeds from the art sale will go to the Children’s Museum Capital Campaign. Click NietoAnton for more information.

Click PeterPan for details.

Kathleen Hallahan (Secretary, Little Italy Residents Association) reports:

Please be advised that it has been reported a man has attempted to enter a building and/or condo in Little Italy claiming that he is with the County Assessor's Office. He does display some type of badge. The man is an imposter.

The resurfacing is complete and looks great. The water is back, as of August 24.

Julie has set up an MSN web group associated with the Thursday playgroup. The website includes many discussion boards, photos, etc. This is also the place to find the Thursday playgroup schedule. Admission to the content of the site is controlled by the site manager; to apply for access visit the "San Diego Moms Connect" website

Jonathan Heller of the Union Tribune recently wrote a piece highlighting the increased number of families downtown. He reports, "Since 2000, the number of downtown children younger than 5 has more than doubled, from 366 to 745 this year, according to the most recent estimate from the San Diego Association of Governments, a regional planning agency." That's compared to a 21% increase for the overall downtown population. Several opportunities and challenges for downtown families are also discussed. Click here to view the full article

The "new" (to Seaport Village) 1895 Looff Carousel with a full menagerie of animals including an elephant, a giraffe, camels, a dragon, a small dog, a teddy bear, galloping horses and more is now open!

The carousel will be on a two year lease and is expected to open in early July. See the Schedule; Some families will be meeting to check out the new carousel at noon on July 24.

As per the "Zucchet Gazette":

Councilmember Michael Zucchet presented a $2,500 check to the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Firehouse Museum on Wednesday, June 23, 2004. The funds will be used to rehabilitate the museum located on the southwest corner of Cedar and Columbia Streets in Little Italy....

The Firehouse Museum, founded in 1962, occupies the former home of City Fire Station No. 6 and pays tribute to fire marshals, chiefs, deputy chiefs, alarm dispatchers, and battalions who have answered the call of duty. The facility also houses an 1841 hand pumper retired during the Civil War, the 1928 Seagrave Pumper used on the streets of La Jolla during World War II, and new additions of other local memorabilia.

Councilmember Zucchet presented the check to Kevin McWalters, San Diego Fire-Rescue Captain and Pioneer Hook and Ladder Firehouse Museum President at the museum's monthly meeting. Funds were secured from federal Community Development Block Grants allocated annually by the City Council.

Little Italy residents have been successful in ridding their community of obscene newsracks. Congratulations and thanks go to Gregg Maslok and playgroup mom Colleen Cochran, and all of the residents who voiced their concerns. The only remaining racks are at the trolley stop. An update on the effort to remove those racks will be presented at the Little Italy Residents Association meeting on June 17.

The Port has chosen Sasaki/Quigley. For more details about the decision and to view the designs click here.

The new Children's Museum and park will be fantastic, but not inexpensive. You can help by participating in a fundraiser. July 25 from noon to 4PM meet Sponge Bob Square Pants on the infield and enjoy a day of family entertainment and fun at the races at the Del Mar Racetrack. The "Friends 500" will be July 31 at Qualcomm Stadium from 6PM to 11PM: "Join us for this unique evening with celebrity chefs and outstanding entertainment, featuring an exhibit by artist Danny Day. Join a racing team and actually race on the indoor speedway." For more information, visit the "San Diego Children's Museum" website. Be at the Del Mar Fairgrounds May 28-31 for a family-friendly, hands-on fundraiser as part of the West Coast Spirit Festival during its inaugural visit to Southern California. Saturday, June 12, enjoy "An evening of Art and Elegance with Jane Seymore" from 6pm - 11pm at La Jolla Spa M.D.

The Farmers Market between Horton Plaza and the NBC building is back. Thursdays 11AM - 3PM.

The Third Avenue Farmers Market and Asian Bazaar is now open at Third Ave and J St. Sundays 9AM - Noon.

Pat and Oscar's (1st and Market) has several breadstick events this week.

• June 22 100% of all proceeds from every bag of bread sold will go to Children's Hospitals and CHOC
• June 23 Come in to any Pat and Oscars from 4 - 6PM and receive a free bag of bread
• June 24 From 1 - 4PM kids can come and roll their own breadsticks! Games and Prizes, too.
• June 25 10AM Breadstick eating contest.

The picnic on Saturday May 22 at Park at the Park was a blast. The school age kids knew just what to do when a bounce house is available and the younger kids figured out the fun in no time. Young and old were making bubbles of all sizes. It was great to meet some unfamiliar families and get to know the familiar families even better. Unfortunately, we also learned that though the park has been publicized as being open from dawn to dusk, the actual hours are 6AM to 6PM. Even so, it was a great location with friendly staff and security and overall the park worked out great. (If you lost a small clip with a butterfly on it, please send an email to mail@sd-fun.org.)

The carousel currently at Seaport Village was auctioned on April 17. The woman representing the winning bidder kept quiet about the winner's identity. Multiple parties approached her about buying it.

Thanks to Felicia Watson for putting together the logo you can now find on the welcome page. (And thanks to the many folks who provided logo feedback at the last few events.)

The park, which features a landscaped lawn with a view of the ballpark, a "tot lot" play area and a children's baseball diamond, will be open to the general public from sunrise to 6PM on non-game days, beginning April 19.

The Ninth Annual Easter Bonnet Parade & Hat Contest will take place Saturday, April 10 at 4th Avenue and K Street in the Gaslamp Quarter. Festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. and include a Hatmaking Workshop, Hat Contest, "Sidewalk Stroll" parade and an Easter egg hunt for children ages 2-12 in the park adjacent to the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. Advance admission for the Hatmaking Workshop is $5 for children and $10 for adults; the cost at the door is $6 for children and $12 for adults. Proceeds from the event will benefit the UCSD Medical Center Hillcrest, Hematology/Oncology Department of Pediatrics Research. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact George Bates at (619) 238-6026 or Diana Cavagnaro at (619) 239-4287 or visit http://www.softops.org/easter.html

This is a free visual and performing art celebration. For more information visit http://www.artwalkinfo.com/.

The city of San Diego is requesting responses by March 14 to a survey of adult residents to find out their attitudes and opinions about the quality of life in our communities. Responses will be used in an "Indicators Report" available in May 2004. Just click on the "Give Us Your Opinion" link at http://www.sandiego.gov/planning.

The Friends of the Children's Museum have organized Crazy Hair Day. Come to Upstart Crow at 10:00AM on Wednesday March 10 for a read-aloud by the author, Barney Saltzberg.