Greetings, fellow Avilones. Once again, I must begin my column by stating that it is being written two weeks before distribution to meet publisher deadlines. So, with the fluid nature of current events, things may have changed during the time lag. Let’s kick it off with some of my Avila-related observations, and end with how the Foundation is addressing the current status/needs of our grantees.
Several times over the past few weeks I’ve meandered down the street from my office at the Community Center to the beachfront to observe the goings on. For the most part, the number of people using the beach has been quite sparse, though the two heat waves during late April and early May resulted in larger crowds. I have witnessed folks sunbathing on the sand in small groups, walking or jogging along the water’s edge, and mostly kids playing in the ocean. Others have been hanging around the Promenade area watching the waves crash, or enjoying refreshments purchased at the handful of local establishments open for takeout. It was a somewhat different scene during the aforementioned temperature spikes. More activities on the beach, more families with “toys”, more like what is usual for this time of year. One problem during those spikes was parking. Spots along the oceanside of Front Street were cordoned off, and the public parking lot remained closed – both as efforts by the Harbor District to minimize beach attendance. So, some eager visitors resorted to parking on neighborhood streets, a common occurrence during popular seasons that creates difficulties for our full-time downtown residents. Just one more unintended consequence as the by-product of a good idea.
Mother's Day weekend sort of opened the Avila floodgates, especially on that Sunday. Many people were lounging on the sand, despite a day mostly devoid of sun and warm temperatures, and the presence of "no sitting" signs leading into town and posted at the beach entrances. Earlier that week a few more Avila establishments opened for takeout, including Hula Hut and Ocean Grill, joining a handful of other businesses that have been open for a longer period. Slowly, a little more life is being injected into our town. On Monday, May 11th, the Avila Bay Athletic Club became open for tennis, but not the other facilities there, though that may have changed before this column was published. The golf course has been busier than normal, and I must admit it is nice for us golfers to not have to compete with the array of special events and concerts usually there this time of year. The highly popular Avila Farmer's Market remains in limbo and will, along with other large gatherings, likely be one of the last activities to be given the green light. The free Avila Trolley, which is usually rolling by now, remains parked until further notice. For the last two months the Bob Jones Trail has been more crowded than ever with people needing to get out and exercise in one of the few allowable ways.
A semblance of the life we know on the Central Coast is creeping back, as it is in other places in California and the nation. Whether we citizens become too lax to the continued health threat is a gamble that may or may not result in more sickness and death. How well SLO County contains the virus, and how prepared our medical facilities are to deal with a potential influx in cases, will determine the local path forward. Personally, I look forward to once again going to the movies, out to dinner, swimming and working out at the Avila Bay Club, and being able to shop and socialize without the requisite 6 foot spacing and wearing of masks that remind me of Zorro and the Lone Ranger. Most of all, I miss being among my friends and colleagues.
Now, onto the business of the Foundation. We continue to operate during this unfortunate economic and health crisis. We are still positioned to honor the grants awarded to agency recipients selected for funding since the monies so designated were removed from our investment portfolio at the beginning of the year and placed into a cash account to protect those sums. At this point we have been notified by some of our grant recipient agencies that they have temporarily shut down operations, or in other cases projects or programs funded by the Foundation are currently on hold. We are in the process of collecting information about the status of all of our grantees to learn of their plans and needs moving forward, so the Foundation can consider reassigning the designated grants for other purposes to help our agency partners resume services when appropriate. Stay tuned.
That’s it for now, fellow Avilones. I hope to see you at the beach sometime soon!
Several times over the past few weeks I’ve meandered down the street from my office at the Community Center to the beachfront to observe the goings on. For the most part, the number of people using the beach has been quite sparse, though the two heat waves during late April and early May resulted in larger crowds. I have witnessed folks sunbathing on the sand in small groups, walking or jogging along the water’s edge, and mostly kids playing in the ocean. Others have been hanging around the Promenade area watching the waves crash, or enjoying refreshments purchased at the handful of local establishments open for takeout. It was a somewhat different scene during the aforementioned temperature spikes. More activities on the beach, more families with “toys”, more like what is usual for this time of year. One problem during those spikes was parking. Spots along the oceanside of Front Street were cordoned off, and the public parking lot remained closed – both as efforts by the Harbor District to minimize beach attendance. So, some eager visitors resorted to parking on neighborhood streets, a common occurrence during popular seasons that creates difficulties for our full-time downtown residents. Just one more unintended consequence as the by-product of a good idea.
Mother's Day weekend sort of opened the Avila floodgates, especially on that Sunday. Many people were lounging on the sand, despite a day mostly devoid of sun and warm temperatures, and the presence of "no sitting" signs leading into town and posted at the beach entrances. Earlier that week a few more Avila establishments opened for takeout, including Hula Hut and Ocean Grill, joining a handful of other businesses that have been open for a longer period. Slowly, a little more life is being injected into our town. On Monday, May 11th, the Avila Bay Athletic Club became open for tennis, but not the other facilities there, though that may have changed before this column was published. The golf course has been busier than normal, and I must admit it is nice for us golfers to not have to compete with the array of special events and concerts usually there this time of year. The highly popular Avila Farmer's Market remains in limbo and will, along with other large gatherings, likely be one of the last activities to be given the green light. The free Avila Trolley, which is usually rolling by now, remains parked until further notice. For the last two months the Bob Jones Trail has been more crowded than ever with people needing to get out and exercise in one of the few allowable ways.
A semblance of the life we know on the Central Coast is creeping back, as it is in other places in California and the nation. Whether we citizens become too lax to the continued health threat is a gamble that may or may not result in more sickness and death. How well SLO County contains the virus, and how prepared our medical facilities are to deal with a potential influx in cases, will determine the local path forward. Personally, I look forward to once again going to the movies, out to dinner, swimming and working out at the Avila Bay Club, and being able to shop and socialize without the requisite 6 foot spacing and wearing of masks that remind me of Zorro and the Lone Ranger. Most of all, I miss being among my friends and colleagues.
Now, onto the business of the Foundation. We continue to operate during this unfortunate economic and health crisis. We are still positioned to honor the grants awarded to agency recipients selected for funding since the monies so designated were removed from our investment portfolio at the beginning of the year and placed into a cash account to protect those sums. At this point we have been notified by some of our grant recipient agencies that they have temporarily shut down operations, or in other cases projects or programs funded by the Foundation are currently on hold. We are in the process of collecting information about the status of all of our grantees to learn of their plans and needs moving forward, so the Foundation can consider reassigning the designated grants for other purposes to help our agency partners resume services when appropriate. Stay tuned.
That’s it for now, fellow Avilones. I hope to see you at the beach sometime soon!
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