Anita Baldwin statue to be unveiled at Le Méridien Hotel in Arcadia
The Anita May Baldwin statue at the Le Méridien Hotel will be unveiled on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021 at 11 a.m. Anita is the daughter of city founder, Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin. The statue will be featured on the opposite end of the Huntington Drive islands’ hotel property.
“We are very excited to be bringing Anita back to Arcadia,” said Mayor Sho Tay in a statement released by the city. “I would like to thank the Shen, Liu and Chen Families, Jeff Lee, the Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation, Heather D. Gibson and Margaux L. Gibson, and the Arcadia Historical Society, for their generous donations.”
“On behalf of the Baldwin family, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Arcadia City Council, the Arcadia Historical Society, the Le Méridien Hotel and all those who have supported this effort to pay homage to my great-great grandmother, Anita May Baldwin,” said Margaux Gibson. “This magnificent statue of Anita will showcase a strong woman who was ahead of her time. I am proud to call Anita May Baldwin my great-great grandmother, and I am truly proud to be a part of this historic project.”
The Anita statue was sculpted by local artist and southern California native Alfred Paredes — who created the Lucky Baldwin statue on the corner of Huntington Drive and Holly Avenue — and is aptly named, “A Legacy of Charity” in honor of Anita’s contributions to life in early Arcadia and throughout California.
Annual Taste of Arcadia, an Arcadia Chamber of Commerce event, will take place Monday, September 19 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. As always, a percentage of proceeds goes to three local non-profit organizations. This year, the beneficiaries are Assistance League of Arcadia, the Boy Scouts of America/Lucky Baldwin District, and the Arboretum Foundation.
The Anoakia developer cannot bulldoze the Anita Baldwin mansion without a demolition permit which will not be granted by the city until certain requirements are met.
Anoakia Estates model homes to open for viewing by this spring. The community is made up of 31 luxury homes. Developer is Tom Hover. The homes were constructed on the site of Anoakia, an estate owned by Anita Baldwin, daughter of Arcadia city founder, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, at Foothill Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue. The homes will be 2-stories, and 5,000-6,000 square feet.
The Arcadia Beautiful Commission presented its annual awards in a ceremony to honor residential and business owners for outstanding landscaping and overall appearances. Business owners awarded were Union 76, Sav-on Drugs, and the Baldwin Plaza.
Arcadia burglary ring busted after morning raids in Pasadena, Altadena. A multi-agency task force arrested Shawn Ashton Sykes, 21, and Koreana Channise Muhammad, 19, both of Altadena. Prior to the raids, Kenneth Wayne Jaynes, 21, of Altadena, was arrested at the scene of the March 13 residential break-in in the 1100 block of West Foothill Boulevard.
Arcadia celebrates its 100th birthday on August 5, 2003. The date reflects the anniversary of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors certifying the results of the cityhood election. Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin was talking about creating a city as early as 1886. He wanted to name the city Baldwin. On July 27, 1903, thirty-nine residents voted for cityhood.
Arcadia City Council approves a temporary permit for an inflatable Fun Box play area in the parking lot of The Shops at Santa Anita mall (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, name was changed in 2022). It will run from March 1 through May 23. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
The Arcadia City Council debated the issue of more parking on the west side of Baldwin Avenue, next to the Hub Center, between Duarte Road and Naomi Avenue. The Council approved the revision to the adult business ordinance, adopted an anti-loitering measure for gang members, and more.
The Arcadia City Council has approved a 12-month pilot program to expand its Dial-a-Ride service to include a new non-emergency medical appointment transportation program for seniors and disabled persons. The program includes service to five hospitals outside the city limits--Huntington Hospital, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park, City of Hope Medical Center and Santa Teresita Hospital, both in Duarte, and Mountainview Dialysis Center in Monrovia.
Arcadia City Council has put out a design contract for landscaping and streetscape design on Baldwin Avenue between Duarte Road and Naomi Avenue. The contract went to Willdan, not to exceed $64,410. Another project proposes widening of the street to four lanes, 75 feet from curb to curb, with landscaped median, curb parking and additional landscaping, along with street resurfacing, to cost $380,000.
Arcadia City Council makes changes to Historic Preservation Ordinance. Council member Tom Beck speaks about saving Clara Baldwin Stocker's home, which is facing possible destruction. See hard copy in VF City Council (2010-2019).
Arcadia Historical Society dedicates its 9th "History Lives Here" historical marker at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, once the home of Arcadia founder, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, on October 2, near the front entrance.
Arcadia is sprucing up nicely. Phil Wray, Arcadia City Engineer, says the city has been making improvements to road medians. He is proud to share that, "We just finished our median island re-landscaping project from Michillinda to Baldwin." More drought-tolerant plants were planted on the median. The same re-landscaping will be done for the road median on Baldwin Avenue to Holly Avenue. Future projects include rehabilitation of pavement from Santa Clara Street to Fifth Avenue.