Grand Opening of Downtown Gateway Park

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Today the Mayor and El Monte City Council proudly celebrate the Grand Opening of the Downtown Gateway Park (located in the intersection of Valley Blvd and Santa Anita Avenue) in El Monte. The event was a joint effort with the American Legion Post 261 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10218.

The event took place at 9am this morning and the weather was inviting and a good showing from the public. City Manager Jim Mussenden proceeded over the morning's agenda. Remarks were made by the El Monte City Council, Deputy City Manager for Community Services Veronica Dolleschel gave project background details to those in attendance and Commander Mike Felix, VFW Post 10218 gave comments followed by remarks from Commander Larry Rodriguez, American Legion Post 261. 49th Assembly District Member Mike Eng also congratulated the city of it's Veteran's Monument and even said some encouraging words in spanish! From the County of Los Angeles Dept. of Parks and Recreation we had Program Manager Warren R. Ontiveros received a presentation from the City of El Monte.

In addition to the veteran monument grand opening it was a time of celebrating the El Monte/South El Monte Rotary Club's 100 year anniversary of Rotary Brick Project. The Rotary Club presented to the city a colorful bear statue that sits next the veteran monument. The bear is very crystallic! More details about the bear's meaning to follow. (I don't have the paper with me now). It is so refreshing to see the City of El Monte pay tribute to those men and women who valiently and courageously serve this great land we call America.

We hope and anticipate that the downtown gate way park with it's veteran monument and Rotary bear will serve to be a much needed addition to the City of El Monte and it's people. To find out more about the City of El Monte and it's future plans visit their website at: http://www.ci.el-monte.ca.us/. You can also stop by the El Monte City City Hall located at: 11333 Valley Blvd, El Monte.

Just as Assemblymember Mike Eng said: "the most important treasure [in El Monte] is the people. It is the people that makes America great". We here at the Crystal C. Chavez Foundation are confident that the Downtown Gateway Park will promote fellow El Monteans to take pride once again in their city and to remember those who have or will serve. Our people will make our city strong, our families united, and lead us to an economic recovery.

This project is made possible by:

Amigos de los Rios, El Monte Community Services Commission, Veterans and Homeless Affairs Commission, Supervisor Gloria Molina, Contractor Green Giant Landscape, Inc. and Architect: Darren Rector, Moore Lacofano Goltsman, Inc., Downtown Gateway Planning Committee, City of El Monte.

Go take a stroll at the new Downtown Gateway Park today! Take pictures with your family and reflect on the sacrifices of those serve or have served in uniform.