Save the date: GNA Meeting on Thursday, February 2

Please save the date for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, Feb. 2^nd from 6:30 p.m to 8:00 p.m. at 5105 Jurupa Ave (in the ARC facility next to the Laundromat).

As always, we have a full and promising agenda! Riverside Police Department will provide an update on recent crime in our area and City Councilman Mike Gardner will discuss progress on the Jurupa/Grand shopping center as well as other Ward 1 news. Deputy General Manager Steve Badgett of Riverside Public Utilities will discuss the project to replace historic street lights. Also, members of the Wood Streets Green Team will talk about creating a community garden at Tequesquite Park and encouraging local input for that garden.

Future 2012 quarterly meetings to be held on May 3, August 7 (National Night Out), November 8.

Holiday Party: December 19th at Fairmount Park

All of the neighborhood groups in Ward 1 are joining together again this year to celebrate the holidays. Last year’s holiday party was very well attended with residents from downtown, the Wood streets, our very own Grand neighborhood and Northside participating in the festivities. Riverside Police Department will also be in attendance, as will City Councilman Mike Gardner.

It’s a potluck, so please bring your favorite side dish. There will also be a toy drive for Riverside County Mental Health Department (gift cards are great too).

Come, have fun, celebrate the holidays and meet your neighbors!

**December 19 at 6 p.m. in the Izaak Walton Building in Fairmount Park**

Click on flyer for more detailed information: HolidayPartyFlyer2011

Meeting notes for 11/3/2011

Grand Neighborhood Alliance Meeting Notes for 11/3/11 (taken by Wendy DeBoer)

Representative for Riverside Public Library spoke in favor of Measure I. It will be on the November 8 ballot and supports the Riverside libraries. Will continue funding for library programs without raising taxes. Funds can only be used for library and locally. Please vote yes!

Councilman Mike Gardner encouraged residents to vote and indicated that absentee ballots may not get counted if sent in too late but before the 8^th. A large portion of the library budget comes from Measure C and I (if passed by voters).

Grand Area and Ward One update from Mike Gardner

Progress continues to be made on Tequesquite Park. Have received bids between 6 and 6.5 million dollars. There is 4 million dollars budgeted, and another 2 will come from the general fund. Mike encouraged folks to send letters of support for the park to their councilmen/women.

Q: What is happening with the Jurupa Grand shopping center?

Proposed access path to be discussed at Nov. 3 GNA mtg.

One of the items to be discussed at the upcoming GNA meeting on Thursday, November 3, 2011 is the creation of a proposed public access path roughly between Carlingford Ave. and Old Mill Rd. Please see the attached flyer for more details: GNA Flyer SAR Trust Grant Access

A number of residents have expressed concern about the potential negative impact of this access path for our area, pointing to likely increases in transience and crime.  I strongly encourage GNA members to participate in the discussion of this path at the Nov. 3rd meeting.

See below for details and agenda.

November 3, 2011 Meeting Agenda

Grand Neighborhood Alliance

Meeting Agenda for November 3, 2011

Location: 5105 Jurupa Ave. in the ARC facility next to the Laundromat

6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

6:30     Welcome, Wendy DeBoer, GNA Leadership Team

6:35     Introductions, All meeting attendees

6:40     Grand Area Update, Mike Gardner, City Councilman

6:50     Update on Activities in the Grand Area, Officer Michael Dillon, North NPC POP Team, Riverside Police Department

7:00     Santa Ana River Trust Grant Study, Patricia Lock Dawson, PLD Consulting

7:30     91 Freeway HOV lane—Design, Construction and Impacts, Dennis Green, Consultant, Riverside County Transportation Commission

7:50     GNA Business and 2012 Plans (time permitting)

Please e-mail questions and comments to gnariverside@yahoo.com

For more information about GNA, visit our website at www.grandareariverside.wordpress.com

Save the dates for the 2012 meetings!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Tuesday, August 7, 2012 (National Night Out)

Thursday, November 8, 2012

August, September and November 2011 GNA Events

Walk with the Mayor: August 13, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Grand and Jurupa Aves.

Join the Walk with the Mayor scheduled specifically for the Grand Area. These walks with Mayor Loveridge have taken place throughout Riverside and offer a unique opportunity to highlight the parks and neighborhoods of Riverside, and to meet the Mayor. Our very own Councilman Mike Gardner will also be in attendance to add to the conversations about our area’s history, landscape, and character. Water will be provided. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and sunscreen.

GNA Block Walk on Wednesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., starting at the corner of Jurupa Ave. and Sunland Place

Join us on a group walk through the smaller neighborhoods bordering Jurupa and Grand Aves. (Streets to be covered during this walk include Sunland Place, Grassy Trail Drive, Deerfield Ave., Greenbrier Drive and Old Mill Road.) This walk will include members of the Riverside Police Department, Code Enforcement, and residents from the Grand area in an effort to identify trouble spots in the neighborhood and work collaboratively toward improving these areas. We will also be talking about larger safety issues. Bring your flashlights and wear comfortable walking shoes.

Last Quarterly Meeting of 2011: Thursday, November 3^rd from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the ARC facility at 5105 Jurupa Ave.

Guest speakers to be confirmed…but we’re hoping to have a “meet and greet” with the new owners of the shopping center at Grand and Jurupa Aves. This would be a great opportunity for them to talk about their plans for the Center and for local residents to provide input concerning our community’s concerns, needs, and goals.

August reminders and news

Greetings friends of the Grand Neighborhood Alliance,

Just a quick reminder that this Tuesday, August 2nd from 6pm to 8pm will be the GNA’s National Night Out event at the 5400 block of Grassy Trail Dr. (right at the corner of Grassy Trail Dr and Greenbrier Dr) We’re very much looking forward to seeing everyone and meeting new friends and neighbors, in addition to having the opportunity to chat with members of RPD, Councilman Mike Gardner, and other City of Riverside folks. We’ll have lots of chairs, tables, snacks and drinks. It’s our very own neighborhood block party! Please join us and show your support for our community.

*Please note that this event will serve as our August meeting and will replace the one originally scheduled for the first Thurs. of August.*

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National Night Out: Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Grand Neighborhood Alliance will be holding its first ever National Night Out (NNO) event on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 from 6pm to 8pm at the corner of Greenbrier Dr and Grassy Trail Dr. (just off of Jurupa Ave. and a couple of blocks away from the Jurupa/Grand shopping center).

Last year 37 million people all over the United States participated in NNO activities and it has been a very successful method for preventing crime in neighborhoods, strengthening neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and sending a message to problem people that our neighborhoods are well organized and have strong community and police support in combating crime. (See more about NNO here: http://www.nationaltownwatch.org/nno/about.html)

I can’t emphasize enough that the success of this event really depends on the attendance of GNA friends and local residents. Representatives from the City of Riverside and the Riverside Police Department will be present to show their support. We will have plenty of free food and drink available. We’ll set up tables and chairs on the lawn so everyone can hang out and enjoy themselves. We’re working on making this a fun event with an important purpose. Families and friends are welcome.

I will send updates to everyone as plans for this event continue to evolve.

Please put GNA’s National Night Out event on your calendar for August 2, 2011 from 6pm to 8pm at the corner of Greenbrier Dr and Grassy Trail Dr. (Please note that this event will serve as our official quarterly meeting in August.) You can also e-mail me at this address for more exact directions.

Meeting notes for 5/5/2011

Grand Neighborhood Alliance Meeting Notes for May 5, 2011 (taken by Wendy DeBoer, GNA Leadership Team)

Deputy Chief of Fire Michael Esparza, Riverside Fire Department

Spoke about the way in which RFD responds to a fire. They have a response team and management team that respond to all fires, whether large or small. Try to establish a stronghold around fires and surround it. Operate “surgically” and focus on the firefight, each group has a specific task. Have one of the top investigative teams and arson canine who train with ATF and FBI.

When fighting large fires, resources may have to be brought in from elsewhere, such as crews and bulldozers.

In the case of the Oct. 2010 riverbottom fire, still not clear what caused it. They evacuated 5-6 homes near Anza Narrows.

Upcoming GNA meeting on May 5

Save the date for our next meeting on May 5, 2011!

Our guest speaker will be Riverside’s Fire Marshall, Chief William Schellhous. He will be speaking about fire prevention and safety, a topic of special concern to our residents given the recent river bottom fire in November. We will also have our regular updates from the Riverside Police Department and Councilman Mike Gardner.

Location: 5105 Jurupa Ave. in the ARC facility next to the Laundromat

Agenda forthcoming…