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Archive for April, 2009

Coronado Home Front Judging Results Apr 25
Coronado Best Home Front ~ 1124 F Avenue

Coronado Best Home Front ~ 1124 F Avenue

The results of the Coronado Home Front judging by the Coronado Floral Association were published in the Coronado Eagle the week of the Coronado Flower Show.

This year, the judging team consisted of 93 volunteers. After looking at and judging single-family residences throughout Coronado and the Cays, they awarded more than 2,900 ribbons.

Blue ribbons were awarded for First Prize, Red ribbons for Second Prize, Yellow ribbons for Third Prize and White ribbons for Honorable Mention.

There were extra ribbons awarded in Coronado Village for the Best Home Front, the First Runner Up and the Top Ten Home Fronts.

As promised, I went and took pictures of the recipients of these additional ribbons. Come watch a short video of these Coronado Home Front Winners.

If you didn’t get a chance to see them during last weekend’s Flower Show, here is a list of the addresses so you can enjoy a drive around Coronado to view these spectacular home fronts:

Best Home Front ~ 1124 F Avenue
First Runner Up ~ 445 Pomona Avenue
Top Ten Home Fronts ~ 1704 Visalia, 340 B Avenue, 130 Alder Avenue, 420 9th Street, 1026 G Avenue, 578 B Avenue, 611 A Avenue, 535 C Avenue, 1037 Star Park Circle, 766 A Avenue

Also,  the 800 block of  Glorietta Blvd was voted the Best Block.

Congratulations and a big thank you to all of the homeowners of Coronado who contribute to the beauty of Coronado! And to the Coronado Floral Association and its volunteers for all that they did to make this years Home Front Judging and Flower Show a success.

Coronado Home Front Judging 1st Runner Up ~ 445 Pomona Ave

Coronado Home Front Judging 1st Runner Up ~ 445 Pomona Ave


Coronado Village Parks Apr 14
Spreckels Park

Spreckels Park Gazebo ~ where the bands play

Coronado Village has a wonderful variety of parks for you to enjoy. Each of the 16 parks has its own charm and offers visitor and local alike a place to play, picnic or just hang out.

The first four parks sit along San Diego Bay and offer a fantastic view of downtown San Diego and the Coronado Bridge.

  • Bay View Park is one of the three parks bordering San Diego Bay. It lies at the end of I Avenue. The park is 9,600 square feet and has some lovely foliage and park benches.
  • SDG&E Park is named for and owned by the utility company. It is another of the parks that fronts the San Diego Bay and is located at the end of E Street. In 1917, SDG&E let the city of Coronado borrow it for use as a park in 1917with the understanding that their name would be kept on it.
  • Centennial Park is at the bayside end of Orange Avenue and lies between First Street and the San Diego Bay near The Landing condominiums. Although the park can be accessed from many directions, the main entrance at Orange Avenue and First Street is marked by the original ferryboat ticket booth. The park is 49,000 square feet of grassy knolls with a panoramic view of the San Diego skyline.
  • Tidelands Park is the largest park in Coronado Village spreading out over 22 acres. It lies along the San Diego Bay ending under the Coronado Bridge on its southern most point. In addition to lots of open space, the park has a small beach, a playground, picnic tables, benches, four ball fields, an exercise course, bike and pedestrian paths.

The next seven parks run through the Coronado Village in a diagonal Northeast to Southwest. I’m pretty sure the nearly diagonal placement was not intentional, but it looks pretty cool on the map.

  • Palm Park is located at Palm Avenue and Third Street. The park is a half-acre park, features a swing set, and is notable for its stand of trees.
  • Triangle Park is another small park in Coronado. It is triangle-shaped and is bordered by Palm Avenue, F Avenue and 4th Street. It is a half-acre.
  • Spreckels Park is one of the best-known and prominent parks in Coronado. It is located in the center of the Village on Orange Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets. It is named after J.D. Spreckels, one of Coronado’s city fathers. He donated the land for the park in 1927. This wonderful park encompasses eight acres and includes a gazebo at its center, a newly renovated playground, and picnic tables. It covers a full eight acres. The park is home to the Summer Concert Series, the Annual Flower Show, Art-in-the-Park and many other community events.
  • Cronan Park located at the corner of Sixth Street and Pomona Avenue. It was named after William Cronin, the Medal of Honor recipient for heroism in the 1905 USS Bennington disaster in San Diego Bay. This park is 2,300 square feet.
  • Mathewson Park is a gentle hillside park bordered by Adella and Pomona Avenues and Park View Place. It was named for former city clerk, A.A. Mathewson. It is a one-acre park, and includes a swing set.
  • Vetter Park sits between Cajon Place and Guadalupe Avenue. It is named in honor of former Coronado Mayor Paul Vetter. The park is one half-acre large.
  • Bay Circle Park is the smallest of the 16 parks, just 1800 square feet. It is named after the street that surrounds it, Bay Circle Street. This plot of grass is the oldest park in the Village.

The next four parks are on the West side of Coronado Village with two having ocean views.

  • Sunset Park lies across from Coronado’s Dog Beach on Ocean Boulevard near Naval Air Station North Island‘s Gate 5. It is named for its view of the sunset. It is a three-acre patch of green and is used for North Island exercise drills, t-ball games, football games, etc.
  • LC Bandel Park is located at Alameda and Tenth Street. It was named after Louis C. Bandel, a longtime city maintenance worker. It is a small park, just 16,700 square feet.
  • Star Park is a lovely little park at ~ Star Park Circle. Star Park Circle itself was named because the five streets that shoot out from the middle circle in photos resemble a star. It is a half-acre and was donated by J.D. Spreckels, one of Coronado’s city fathers.  It has a beautiful tribute Veteran’s Tribute and hosts Memorial Day Ceremony honoring veterans.
  • Rotary Park is small but very notable and is undergoing a renovation. It lies at the intersection of Orange Avenue, Isabella Avenue and Park Place. In its original layout, it was 2,000 square feet. It is the site of the 50-foot pine that is the city’s official Christmas tree and Coronado Clock tower.

The last park is the southern most park in Coronado Village.

  • Glorietta Bay Park lies between the Coronado Community Center and Naval Amphibious Base. It is named for the beautiful Glorietta Bay that it fronts. It is a larger park covering more than two acres. It is one of the busiest parks and in addition to a grassy park and playground equipment; it has a small sandy beach and a public boat-launching ramp.

This map of the Coronado Village parks will show you each of their locations.

Coronado Home Front Judging Apr 08

Spring has sprung in Coronado and the flowers are in full bloom. Coronado becomes particularly picturesque in the Spring as people get ready for the Annual Coronado Flower Show and the Home Front Judging.

Over 80 volunteers from the Coronado Floral Association do the home front judging as a part of the Coronado Flower Show. Armed with their judging sheets, the volunteers go through all 39 judging zones evaluating each and every home front in Coronado. This year that task will be completed on Monday, 04/06/09 through Wednesday, 04/08/09. By Wednesday evening, all of the ribbons will be awarded.

The judging sheets are broken down into three main categories: first impression, design and execution. Each of these categories is further broken down so that every detail is looked at. Each aspect counts for a percentage of the vote for that home front. For instance, aesthetic aspects account for 15% of the total, while neatness and grooming of plants and lawn account for 30%.

As you can tell, there is a lot of work, time and attention to detail involved and it cannot be an easy job given how many beautiful home fronts there are in Coronado.

Next week I will write about the winners of the Coronado Home Front Judging.

Today, I want to share with you some of the magnificent blooms you can see throughout the Coronado neighborhoods.

If you have a hankering to grow some of these wonderful flowers yourself, check out the Coronado Cookie’s Flower Seed Store.

P.S. Head over to A Avenue to see some spectacular flower displays!

A Coronado Born Again American Apr 05

My brother sent me an e-mail today with a link to the Born Again American Organization website. I had not heard of it before, but I am hoping that it grows strong and its message is heard and supported across the country.

After viewing the video, I signed the Born Again American pledge, which declares:

I am a Born Again American
I am my country’s keeper
My President and my Congress report to me
And so ~
I will stay informed and involved
I will make my voice heard
And not just at election time
I can make a difference
I matter
I am an American, Born Again

One of the things about living in Coronado is that you are very aware of the presence of the military. Established in 1917, the North Island Naval Air Station lies on the north end of Coronado and the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, commissioned in 1944, is on the south end of the city.

The presence of the military both the enlisted men and women and their families living in Coronado make Coronado an extremely patriotic community. It is a spirit that I embrace, a spirit that makes me know in my heart that although we are going through troubled times, we can band together and help one another to make it through and thrive.