New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Parks and Recreation

KOCE’s Real Orange to feature the Santiago Creek bike trail controversy

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Family, Nature, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Southern California’s PBS TV station, KOCE , is airing a story this Friday night about the controversy regarding the pending completion of the bike trail in Santiago Creek. A group of residents in Santa Ana’s Fisher Park Neighborhood are trying to stop the bike trail and are advocating for having the area fenced off from the public. The KOCE feature will present both sides of this story.

KOCE is going to air this segment on Thursday night at 5:00pm and 11:30pm on “Real Orange” on PBS SoCal, and it will be repeated on Sunday night at 5:00pm and 11:30pm. Continue reading→

Supporters of finishing the Santiago Creek Bike Trail launch new website

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Family, Health and Medical, Nature, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Transportation 5 Comments

The grass-roots neighborhood organization, Neighbors for the Santiago Creek Bike Trail, that was formed to further the goal of a bike path in the “missing link” along Santiago Creek, has launched a new website.

This “missing link” is the 1/4-mile gap located in the Santiago Creek, between the 5 Freeway underpass and Flower Street (see map on reverse.) The City of Santa Ana does not currently have a bike trail proposed in the missing link. With this link closed, our neighborhoods will have ready access to adjoining trails. We want open space and the ability to connect to these outlying bike trails, shopping centers and communities either by biking, jogging or hiking. Continue reading→

Pulido’s lawyer gets dragged into the Santiago Creek bike trail melee

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Nature, Parks and Recreation, Paul Walters, Politics, public works, Santa Ana 55 Comments

The battle to finish the Santiago creek bike trail that currently ends under a bridge, just south of the Main Place Mall and Memory Lane, in north Santa Ana, took an interesting turn today as various letters and emails that were requested by the bike trail proponents were emailed by Santa Ana City Clerk Mary Huizar to an email list of media, bloggers and trail supporters. I loaded the documents into Google Documents and you can see them for yourself at this link.

What this all boils down to is a belief by the handful of residents who don’t want the bike trail that they would be better off by denying public access to the trail, with a fence. There demands are a bit tough to make out by pay special attention to the letter sent to the City of Santa Ana by their attorney, Mark Rosen. You remember him, he was an elected member of the Garden Grove City Council and he is Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s lawyer, which strikes me as a bit of a conflict of interest. But there he is now representing the NIMBY neighbors. Continue reading→

Back to Natives receives $7K grant from O.C. Community Foundation

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Green, Nature, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
CONTACT: REGINALD DURANT, DIRECTOR OF RESTORATION, (949) 335-8655
BACK TO NATIVES RESTORATION

BACK TO NATIVES RECEIVES $7,000 GRANT FROM ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR VOLUNTEER HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM

IRVINE, Calif., January 10, 2012 – Back to Natives Restoration, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit public charity has received a $7,000 grant from the Orange County Community Foundation (www.oc-cf.org) to support its Volunteer Habitat Restoration Program.

Back to Natives is collaborating with the City of Santa Ana at the Santiago Park Nature Reserve, where student volunteers will perform habitat quality monitoring, remove invasive plants and plant native plants. Volunteers will learn about the importance of biodiversity and habitat restoration as they perform meaningful community service to improve the Reserve for both wildlife and humans. Volunteer dates are listed on Back to Native’s website, www.backtonatives.org. Continue reading→

Back to Natives teams with the U.S. Forest Service to teach restoration

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Green, Nature, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Tustin 3 Comments

The United States Forest Service & Back to Natives Restoration Present a…Restoration Training Program

13 Days in 2012

Back to Natives Restoration, in a cooperative agreement with the Cleveland National Forest, is providing hands on habitat restoration training over the course of 6 weeks beginning on February 16. Each training session will focus on specific aspects of the restoration process. Learn native and non native plant identification, proper site entry/exit protocol as well as mechanical/physical abatement techniques to reduce soil disturbance and possible weed seed germination. Continue reading→

Back to Natives receives $5K grant from Ralphs for habitat restoration

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Green, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Volunteer Leave a comment

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
CONTACT: REGINALD DURANT, DIRECTOR OF RESTORATION
BACK TO NATIVES RESTORATION, (949) 335-8655

BACK TO NATIVES RECEIVES $5,000 GRANT FROM RALPHS FOR VOLUNTEER HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM

IRVINE, Calif., January 4, 2012 – Back to Natives Restoration, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit public charity has received a $5,000 grant from Ralphs to support its Volunteer Habitat Restoration Program.

Save the Sexlinger Orchard demonstration set for this Sat., Jan. 7

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Development, Entertainment, Nature, Orange County, Parks and Recreation 3 Comments

DEMONSTRATION THIS SATURDAY

January 7, 2012 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Come on out to our first demo of 2012. We continue to connect with lots of folks in support of preserving the Sexlinger Orange Orchard. Come on by to say hello, sign our petition or, leave a message to the Santa Ana Planning Department and City Council on a paper “orange.” We will have the signed oranges with your message attached to “trees” as a representation of our “orchard of support” to keep this orchard alive and well. Together we can stop the development project that has been proposed to the city of Santa Ana by TAVA Development Company and the owners of the orchard, Concordia University Irvine and Orange Lutheran High School. Continue reading→

Join Back to Natives and restore nature in the New Year, at Santiago Park

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Health and Medical, Nature, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Habitat Restoration at Santiago Park Nature Reserve, on 1/28/12, 9AM to 12PM

Do some good in the New Year with Back to Natives! Come assist us in restoring habitat for animals at the Santiago Park Nature Reserve in Santa Ana. We meet at the Reserve once a month to remove weeds, cast native seed and plant native plants (depending on the season). Bring gloves, sunscreen, a re-usable water bottle filled with water, hat, and closed toed shoes. RSVP: volunteer@backtonatives.org. Continue reading→

Unique, family-friendly fun at the Great Park on New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Family, irvine, Orange County, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DECEMBER 27, 2011

CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Unique, Family-Friendly Fun at the Great Park on New Year’s Eve

Southland Mega Groove, Aerial Artists and Magicians Will Be Featured at Great Park’s Family New Year’s Eve Celebration

IRVINE – Celebrate New Year’s Eve with exciting entertainment performed by local musicians, dancers, aerial artists and magicians at the Great Park’s inaugural Great Night! Family New Year’s Eve on Saturday, December 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The evening will feature something for everyone with a variety of performances on the main stage and throughout the Park. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan is being updated

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Health and Medical, Michele Martinez, Nature, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan Update

Work efforts are underway for the City of Santa Ana Circulation Element Update. This project includes updating the existing Santa Ana Bikeway Master Plan and creating a Pedestrian Master Plan. Currently, the existing conditions of bicycle and pedestrian facilities are being inventoried and mapped. User needs assessment that requires community input will follow. A series of Open Houses and public meetings will be scheduled between February 2012 and July 2012. Continue reading→

Latino Health Access planning a Wellness Corridor in Downtown Santa Ana

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Health and Medical, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 22 Comments

Wellness Corridor, from Council Member Michele Martinez’ Newsletter

Latino Health Access (LHA), one of Santa Ana’s most successful non-profits, mission is to assist in improving the quality of life and health of the most marginalized members of the community. Since 1993, LHA has provided quality preventive services and educational programs that enable such individuals to take responsibility and fully participate in decisions affecting their health. LHA has been highly effective in reducing health disparities among Orange County’s severely under-served, underinsured Latino community. Now, LHA is embarking in a new endeavor, promoting the creation of a Wellness Corridor in Central Santa Ana.

The Wellness Corridor is a project that Council Member Michele Martinez fully support as it addresses the health issues of Central Santa Ana’s residents by encouraging active lifestyles, healthy eating options, engages residents and businesses—adding resources for all while building community. The Wellness Corridor will promote active healthier living by using non-traditional open spaces to create urban fitness walking and biking routes with supporting amenities and exercise stations which will be located at the organization’s park currently under development and scheduled for completion summer of 2012. Continue reading→

Former Councilman Ted Moreno enters the Santiago Creek bike trail debate

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Health and Medical, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 40 Comments

Former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno is defending the Fisher Park residents’ right to a messy creek

Former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno has returned at long last from a self-imposed exile from local community affairs and politics. Moreno was drawn back into the fray by an article posted on this blog on Dec. 18, regarding the efforts by a handful of Santa Ana’s wealthier residents, in the Fisher Park neighborhood, to stop the Santiago Creek bike trail from being completed.

Moreno, was convicted of extortion and money-laundering in an alleged scheme to take control of the Santa Ana City Council and sentenced in February of 2001 to almost five years in prison, according to the L.A. Times. Many residents then and now felt that Moreno was entrapped and my old friend Lou Lopez, who was the first Latino elected to the Anaheim City Council, told me that the same FBI informant who entrapped Moreno, also tried to ensnare him. But Lopez, a retired police officer, ran the other way, while Moreno got caught. Continue reading→

Anonymous “Save Santiago Creek Alliance” opposes finishing bike trail

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Green, Nature, Neighborhood Associations, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana 31 Comments

A new website of people who are against finishing the Santiago Creek bike trail, called the “Save Santiago Creek Alliance,” is purporting to represent resident’s of Santa Ana’s Casa de Santiago, Fisher Park, Floral Park, Morrison Park, Riverview, and West Floral Park neighborhoods – but not one name appears anywhere on the website. It is completely anonymous.

I did get an email today from a fellow named Ronald E Salem. He claims to be the “interim director” of this mysterious anonymous organization, but his name is not to be found on their website. I did find his Facebook page. This guy is definitely part of the 1%. His profile picture (see above) shows him piloting a yacht. Nice. He appears to be a psychologist with a family counseling practice based in Glendora.

It is terribly dishonest for these people to use the word “Alliance” in their name, given that the major proponents of finishing the Santiago Creek bike trail are the Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Zoo officials showed no remorse in canceling elephant rides

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Nature, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 30 Comments

I finally got around to reading the Santa Ana Zoo’s press release regarding the cancellation of their elephant rides. Wow. Zoo officials showed absolutely no remorse at all in a release that stated that the rides are ending not because of the allegations of abuse of the elephants (see the shocking video above), by the company, Have Trunk Will Travel, that provided the pachyderms,and not because of PETA’s ongoing protest of the rides, but rather because of a “recent safety policy change by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).”

In fact Santa Ana Zoo Director Kent Yamaguchi told the L.A. Times that “I still think elephant rides are an amazing way for people to learn about the animals through hands-on contact.” Bull! They were all about charging ridiculous prices – at least $5 per ride! How many working families in Santa Ana could even afford that in the first place? The elephant rides always were a fundraising scheme for the Santa Ana Zoo. Trying to say that they were about education is simply ridiculous. What the heck can you learn from a two minute five dollar ride on an elephant? Continue reading→

Poll: Should we finish the Santiago Creek bike trail in Fisher Park?

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Nature, Neighborhood Associations, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 85 Comments

The disaster that is Fisher Park’s stretch of Santiago Creek

UPDATE: Now YOU can vote to support the completion of the portion of the Santiago Creek bike trail that runs through Santa Ana’s Fisher Park neighborhood. Click here to vote!

Did the Fisher Park NIMBYs who are blocking the completion of the Santiago Creek bike trail ruin their own neighborhood? It is a fair question to ask.

If you visit the Santiago Creek bike train in Santiago Park – or over at the Santiago Park Nature Reserve, you won’t see the horrible graffiti that is sprayed all over the place in the Fisher Park Neighborhood. Sure, you will find isolated tagging, but nothing like the disaster at Fisher Park.

And now, according to my sources, the Fisher Park NIMBYs, led by Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Mark McLaughlin and Chapman University Professor Paul Apodaca, want to fence off their part of the creek altogether – as if that will be some sort of panacea! It will only make things worse. Continue reading→