Year-in-review 2003 found Arcadia having January windstorms, a year long centennial celebration, opening of the new police station and Santa Anita Park race track hosting the 20th Breeder's Cup.
American Chinese Culture Association, an Arcadia-based group that promotes greater understanding between the U.S. and China through cultural exchange, will have members give a dance performance at the National Independence Day Parade in Washington DC. Artist Tao Haixin shows his work at Arcadia County Park.
The city has taken its first step toward condemning part of a desirable downtown block to make way for the expansion of the Rusnak Mercedes Benz. The City Council voted unanimously to move forward with eminent domain proceedings against Arcadia Self Storage, a four-story building on Huntington Drive just west of Santa Anita Avenue. This building is one of five under threat of condemnation.
Arcadia will devise a program to celebrate its centennial next year with its sister city of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Next year will mark the 30th year of the sister city relationship.
Westfield Group is funding a new "grass roots" coalition to oppose the Santa Anita Park race track mall development by Caruso Affiliated. The coalition is called Arcadia First! but includes Westfield representatives, Westfield tenants and downtown businesses, and not only citizens, as the membership in a grass roots organization might suggest.
Westfield Group expects to complete its second expansion project at Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita in three years -- an $85 million, 185,000 square feet wing that would convert the mall into a cross between a traditional indoor mall and an outdoor shopping center.
Two articles describe the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park this year. One is about Victor Espinoza riding a horse called Casino Drive on the track's new Pro-Ride Synthetic surface. The other article is about a 4-year-old filly named Zenyatta, ridden by jockey Mike Smith, that won the first all-female card in Breeders' Cup history.
Plans are underway for "Peacock Corner" at the fountain and entrance at Arcadia County Park at Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive. The bronze peacock will be 8 feet tall.
Competing measures will go to voters in May. Measure A, sponsored by Manny Romero, the owner of Rod's Grill, would prohibit automobile sales in an area bounded by Santa Anita Avenue, Huntington Drive, and Morlan Place for twelve years. Measure B would allow auto sales and related uses on the block and contains a provision to eliminate eminent domain as a tool to acquire property for future development in downtown area.
Arcadia's new city government first formed in 1903 and its first meeting took place at Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's Oakwood Hotel, located at First Avenue and Santa Clara Road. Baldwin's hotel featured gambling and fine dining along with city government. The Oakwood Hotel burned down in 1911, and the city government moved to the McCoy Building at First Avenue and St. Joseph Street. Two years later, City Hall moved across the street to the Hibbard Building. In 1917, the first building was constructed as a City Hall at Huntington Drive and Second Avenue (?). A two-story colonial building was built for $18,000. This City Hall opened on July 13, 1918. City Hall moved in 1949 to a 13-acre parcel between Huntington Drive and the Pacific Electric railroad tracks.
The fountain at Peacock Corner (southwest corner Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive) is taking on a new look. Student volunteers are placing small mosaic tiles on the facade of the fountain. Local interior designer Shirley Farris volunteered to coordinate the project.