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Redwood City E-News
Building a Great Community Together
Issue #28 ~ December, 2005
~ Happy Holidays from Redwood City E-News! ~
(Back to index of all issues)
IN THIS ISSUE:
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Celebrate Hometown Holidays This Saturday
This Saturday December 3rd will be a day filled with holiday cheer and fun for the whole family, starting at 10 am in Downtown Redwood City!
It’s Hometown Holidays, and everyone is invited to enjoy a special holiday boutique; a “Discover Downtown” holiday walk; the incredible, kid-pleasing snow play area; an ice sculpture demo and display; live music; Santa himself; the traditional children’s holiday parade; non-profit booths and displays; the annual City Hall tree lighting and famous evening holiday fireworks spectacular, and Caltrain’s Trains for Tots toy collection.
Visit www.hometownholidays.org or call the Hometown Holidays Hotline at (650) 361-0538.
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Donations, Volunteers Needed for PAL Toy & Book Drive
Each year, the Redwood City Police Activities League (PAL) Christmas Toy and Book Drive has brought the holiday spirit right to the doorstep of many needy families. With the Police Officers Association and Firefighters Association, and help from the Fair Oaks Community Center and a corps of volunteers, this annual event has become a welcome tradition in Redwood City.
- Businesses are asked to place donation barrels at their sites;
- Individuals and families are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys and books;
- Volunteers are asked for their time and energy for ‘wrapping parties’ where everyone takes part in preparing the gifts for the kids, from gift wrapping, to ‘quality control,’ to helping with food and drinks.
Two wrapping parties are scheduled: Monday, December 12 and Thursday, December 15, both at 6:00 pm, at 405 Broadway. Drop-in volunteers are welcome. Volunteers are also needed to pick up food, toys, and books, put together family packages, load up Santa’s ‘sleigh,’ actually help with home delivery, and more. This is a great opportunity to help bring a smile to a child's holiday season.
Call 650) 556-1650, extension 11, for more information.
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Fill Out Economic Development Survey by December 5th
In order to help Redwood City develop a competitive Economic Development Strategy, we’ve put together a survey to find out what our businesses and residents think about the economy, how they feel about their current fiscal situation, and their opinions on their own financial futures. The City is asking residents and business people to fill out a very brief online survey – it’s one key way for the City to gain information about our local economic situation, and where we should go from here. Click here for the online survey.
This information will be used in developing a competitive Economic Development Strategy, which in turn will help the City sustain its economy and provide an economic environment where businesses can succeed, and our quality of life is maintained and enhanced. The City requests that surveys be completed online by December 5th, 2005.
More information on Redwood City’s economic development program is available by calling 780-7365.
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The Forum@Redwood City Presents: Understanding Civic Art
Architect and Urban Designer Greg Tung will be speaking at “The Forum at Redwood City” on Wednesday, December 7, 2005, from 6:00 - 7:45 pm at the Little Fox in Redwood City. Don’t miss his exciting presentation on Understanding Civic Art: The Urban Design of "Everything Else."
The term “Civic Art" is sometimes used to describe the things in that "everything else" category - especially when that art is designed to be beautiful and meaningful, as well as useful. In this way, the "set pieces" of benches, lampposts, walls, bridges, and landmarks serve as both the backgrounds and foregrounds of our communities. Join us on December 7 th for a personal look at how a well-designed "civic infrastructure" can be an important part of making our neighborhoods and cities more unique and livable.
Gregory Tung is a Principal of Freedman Tung and Bottomley (FTB), a San Francisco-based urban design and town planning firm specializing in downtown and neighborhood revitalization strategies, district-based specific plans and development master plans, development standards and design review, and designs for streets, plazas, and landmarks.
The Forum takes place at the Little Fox Theater, 2209 Broadway, in downtown Redwood City. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the cost is $10 per person, payable at the door. An optional no-host dinner with the presenter and other participants will be held following the Forum for those wishing to continue the discussion. For more information call 650-780-7363.
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Join Las Posadas Holiday Celebration, December 21
Redwood City 's "Las Posadas" brings a lively international flavor to our local holiday celebrations. On Wednesday, December 21, the community is invited to enjoy a great variety of fun holiday activities including music, story telling, arts & crafts and other kids' activities, photos with Santa from 6 - 8 pm, singing, prizes, and of course the dramatic and meaningful Posada procession. This free event is from 5 – 8 pm Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at the Fair Oaks Library, 2510 Middlefield Road in Redwood City.
As a celebration of the nativity, Christmas for Latino families often includes the symbolic " Posadas" taking place the nine days before Christmas. The Posada procession is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph going from inn to inn, seeking lodging for the night.
Bring the family to Redwood City’s Las Posadas for a meaningful and inspiring celebration.
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Emergency Preparedness for Your Home & Family
Preparing your family and home for a possible disaster should be a very high priority for everyone – as we’ve unfortunately learned over the last year, disaster strikes quickly, and preparation can make all the difference.
Be prepared before disaster strikes – the Redwood City Fire Department urges you to go online for updated information on how you can protect your family and property in the event of a major disaster such as fire or earthquake. It just takes a little time to make these preparations.
Take that time now, so that when disaster hits, you and your family will be well-prepared.
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Help Reduce Rain Runoff Pollution
Now that the rainy season is here, we’d like to remind you that with the rain comes an upsurge in water pollution as trash and other pollutants that accumulate during the dry season flow through Bay Area watersheds and into storm drains and waterways.
Runoff from our streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and other man-made surfaces goes into storm drains and waterways, sweeping up litter and debris in its path. During storms trash, organic matter, and automotive pollutants are primary sources of pollution that threaten water quality and wildlife in our local watersheds.
We can reduce such runoff pollution during the rainy season. Here’s a list of 6 things you can do to make a difference in protecting our watershed.
- Set an example for others by not littering; if you do see litter, pick it up and put it in a trash can.
- Carry a litterbag in your car or bicycle.
- Keep trash containers covered securely to prevent wind or animals from spreading litter.
- Keep leaves and yard clippings picked up around your home and recycle as green waste.
- Regularly maintain your vehicle to avoid auto fluid leaks that build-up on roadway surfaces.
- Organize or join in the cleanup of a neighborhood, creek, estuary, or wetland.
The Redwood City Public Works Services Department further asks residents if they see leaves and/or debris covering catch basins to please rake them up and place them on the planting strip or pile on the sidewalk away from the catch basin so that they don’t fall back into the gutter causing clogged drains.
For information on reducing storm water runoff, visit www.flowstobay.org.
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