Blaine Cavena

The West Pasadena Residents’ Association held its 54th annual meeting on Wednesday, May 18, at the Maranatha High School Student Center. About 200 people attended event, with the theme “Imagining the Future of West Pasadena.”

Mayor Terry Tornek covered a number of important topics during his remarks, including: His continuing interest in repealing Measure A; the City’s efforts to ensure that next year’s Arroyo Seco Music & Arts Festival does not become another Coachella; how the City will benefit from Kaiser Permanente’s planned medical school at Los Robles Avenue and Green Street; Striking the right balance between growth and development and maintaining the city’s unique character; the ongoing search for a new City manager, which he hopes will be completed by early summer; PUSD’s flourishing public schools; the restructuring and other internal changes that the City made in response to the embezzlement scandal; and the City’s current budget process.

Nearly 200 friends and neighbors gathered at Sequoyah School in May for the WPRA’s 2015 annual meeting. We were pleased to welcome Terry Tornek who joined the gathering in his first public event since taking office as our new mayor and we engaged in many issues, including:

1. Plans to demolish historic apartment homes on S. Orange Grove Circle, which would have displaced dozens of long-time residents

2. Development of Desiderio Park and the negative impact of a possible public restroom

3. The General Plan draft as it evolves and moves toward final adoption

4. Traffic metrics when the City chose to eliminate a traditional traffic measure, the results of which could result in even more auto gridlock

5. The Rose Bowl Stadium’s proposed and scheduled list of major events, including the proposed music and arts festival

During the WPRA’s May 6 annual meeting, WPRA Director Joan Hearst (right) presented Vince Farhat with the organization’s highest possible honor — the Dorothy Lindsey Community Service Award. Vince was cited for his selfless generosity and tireless volunteer efforts in the service of Pasadena’s citizens. Although Vince was out of town, his wife Betsy, left, and son William accepted the award on his behalf. Vince joins past recipients Mic Hansen (2011) and Claire Bogaard (2012). The award was created in 2011 to honor the late Dorothy Lindsey.