Halloween Treats at City Hall

Children enrolled in Santee’s Tiny Tyke and Playtime Pals early education classes stopped by City Hall Monday to gather treats and perform a song for about two dozen seniors during the annual Santee Senior Club luncheon.  A senior dressed as Superman managed to rescue a damsel in distress before sitting down to a hearty lunch.

For information on early education classes for tots, the Santee Senior Club or other recreation programs offered by the city visit the Recreation Services page on the city website. 

Santee Gets Bright for the Holidays

If you're looking for a family event that's guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit, mark your calendar for the City of Santee Holiday Lighting Celebration.

The event, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 at Santee Trolley Square, offers upbeat activities for people of all ages.

As an event that celebrates the start of the holiday season, don't be surprised to see folks being spontaneously cheerful and wearing reindeer antlers.

Live music from the Bayou Brothers, who play a mix of zydeco with a holiday twist, will help you get into the mood.  If that doesn't close the deal, then the roving carolers dressed in period costumes will.

There will be booths to browse, samples from local eateries, and plenty of fun activities for kids.  Craft stations will be set up where children can decorate cookies, construct a paper chain, or make their own ornaments and holiday gift bags.

The Holiday Lighting Celebration is focused around the lighting of a 20-foot artificial tree.  With the wave of a faux magic wand, the tree's holiday lights will flash on.  At the same instant the tree is lighted, entry monuments at four major intersections will come aglow with decorative lights.

Horse-drawn carriage rides will be available for $2 per person, except for children 3 years or younger, who may ride for free on a lap of an adult.  For a $3 fee, children 5 years and older, as well as adults, can glide on ice skates across a 2,400-square-foot synthetic rink.  Children will be able to confide their wish lists to Santa.  Professional photos with the jolly guy will be available for $10.

Title sponsor for the event is Waste Management.  Other sponsors include Santee Trolley Square, Welk Resorts, Daphne's California Greek, Fireworks America and MTS.

Information about the event is available by calling the Santee Special Events Hotline at (619) 258-4100 ext. 201 or visit the city's website.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

The asphalt overlay has been completed with final striping to be scheduled.

Rumson Drive
Due to the asphalt plant being repaired, the asphalt overlay has been scheduled for October 21 and 24.  Speed humps will be replaced on Rumson Drive once the asphalt overlay has been completed.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 30.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Santee Salutes World BMX Champion Sean Gaian

The city of Santee last week honored Sean Gaian, a 15-year-old BMX rider and local resident who in July won the UCI World Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark.

To acknowledge Gaian's athletic achievements and offer the city's support for his future endeavors, Mayor Randy Voepel issued a proclamation declaring Oct. 13 as Sean Gaian Day in Santee.

Competitive BMX or bicycle motocross racers typically range in age from 3 to 60.  Although it's a family oriented activity driven by participants, BMX racing was elevated to a medal sport at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Gaian has been a competitive BMX rider since the age of 4.  He has already won 11 California state titles, and is currently the top-seeded rider in his age group.

He earned his first world championship in BMX racing through hard work and practice.  He trains five days a week, alternating his workouts between the gym and three BMX tracks in the area.

He was recently selected by USA Cycling to participate in the BMX Junior Development Program Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, where he trained on motocross track similar to that used in the previous Olympics.

Later this year, he plans to compete in the Grand Nationals in Tulsa, OK.  His goal is to qualify and compete for the USA in the 2016 Olympic Games.

Preferred Alternative Set for Mast Park Plan

A design proposal that would serve as a blueprint for redeveloping Mast Park is ready to be reviewed by the Santee Parks and Recreation Committee and ultimately the City Council.

Award-winning landscape architect Glen Schmidt, who earlier this summer drafted three design options, presented the preferred alternative at a public workshop held Oct. 6 at City Hall.

Highlights of the refined design proposal include:

• Intalling a new restroom that is water and energy efficient
• Paving a nine-tenths-of-a-mile-long concrete loop trail
• Creating 45 new parking spaces along the park's northern border
• Adding two boardwalks that would offer close-up views of the river
• Erecting a new entry sign and orientation signs
• Creating dry creek beds that would serve as natural play areas for kids and also divert runoff into a bioswale that would reduce pollution reaching the river
• Adding three new shaded picnic pavilions, including a large gazebo suitable for weddings or family reunions
• Cluster new exercise apparatuses at a fitness station

In keeping with the community's wishes to retain the park's natural, rustic appearance, the design calls for keeping the park's mature trees and adding low-growing native plants.  The basketball court would remain, as would the off-leash dog park, which would be divided into separate areas for small and large dogs.

Schmidt has also proposed some unique features, such as so-called "discovery nodes" where visitors would learn about wildlife along the river, Kumeyaay Indian culture or Santee's pioneer history.

The proposed master plan will be presented to the Santee Park and Recreation Committee and the City Council in November.

Funding for the $117,000 project has been assisted by a Healthy Communities Planning Grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.  The grant is a component of Health Works, a countywide initiative promoting wellness and addressing the nationwide obesity epidemic.

A short video explaining key aspects of the master plan can be viewed on YouTube.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay was cancelled and is rescheduled for October 19.

Rumson Drive
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay was cancelled and is recheduled for October 20 and 21.

Wethersfield Road will be the location for the split in the 2-day schedule of asphalt overlay.  The first day of the overlay will be from the western limit of Rumson Drive to Wethersfield Road and the second day will be from Wethersfield Road to Pebble Beach Drive.  Detour signs will be placed to route traffic around Rumson Drive.  Carlton Oaks School, West Hills High School and the Health Occupation Center will be notified of the schedule for the construction work.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 17.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay has been cancelled and will be rescheduled to allow the street subgrade to dry out prior to the overlay.  The City and contractor will be updating the schedule in the upcoming days.  Once a date has been rescheduled, residents will receive a notice five days in advance.

Rumson Drive
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay has been cancelled and will be rescheduled to allow the street subgrade to dry out prior to the overlay.  The City and contractor will be updating the schedule in the upcoming days.  Once a date has been rescheduled, residents will receive a notice five days in advance.

Wethersfield Road will be the location for the split in the two-day schedule of asphalt overlay.  The first day of the overlay will be from the western limit of Rumson Drive to Wethersfield Road and the second day will be from Wethersfield Road to Pebble Beach Drive.  Detour signs will be placed to route traffic around Rumson Drive.  Carlton Oaks School, West Hills High School and the Health Occupation Center will be notified of the schedule for the construction work.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 17.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Please check the City of Santee website for construction updates with rescheduled asphalt overlay dates.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x174.