By TR Robertson
The second session of the Vista Leadership Academy was a city tour of various locations in the City of Vista, led by City Clerk Kathy Valdez with narration by Joe Vacca, City Development Director, and Mike Pacheco, Vista Recreation Director. A portion of the Leadership Academy participants boarded a bus, driven by Frank Rojareo, in the parking lot of the Civic Center for the tour. Frank said he has been driving residents on this tour for close to 10 years. The tour would take us in a counterclockwise sort-of-circular direction all around the city looking at and hearing about some of the city’s history and numerous projects around the city. This included information about businesses and residential construction, the Vista Business Park, several city parks, City of Vista Departments, various shopping centers and the businesses in the centers, city artwork, information about city boundaries, and a variety of other information provided by Joe and Mike. All along the way Mike, Joe and Kathy gave the group information about the locations we passed as well as projects the city has approved, both for city projects and business and residential developments that are either underway or planned.
As we exited the Civic Center it was pointed out that the Civic Center was built eleven years ago and the Vista Library behind the Civic Center is going through a remodel. The Civic Center was once the site of Lincoln Elementary built in 1930. The City of Vista was incorporated in 1963. The first City Library appeared in 1915. Across from the Civic Center the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe is located, originally established in the 1800’s as part of a large rancho complex. Today the Adobe is used for school educational purposes, a variety of meetings and is a sought-after wedding venue. In the 1500’s Spanish explorers arrived in this area establishing homes and ranches as well as building Missions. Turning right onto Civic Center Drive we headed to E. Vista Way and turned right. On our right, we saw Wildwood Park, established in 1925. The park has a walking trail, called the Vista Walking Trail, that begins in the park and goes all the way to Brengle Terrace Park. We made a turn to Paseo Buena Vista Street, where it was said a new park may be built here that would include a portion of the Vista Walking Trail. Back onto E. Vista Way we headed to Vale Terrace Drive.
Turning right onto Vale Terrace Drive, our next destination was Brengle Terrace Park. Driving past one of several round-abouts and “Speed Humps”, the City of Vista has begun to install on various roads to slow drivers down and protect bike riders and pedestrians, our bus approached Jim Porter Parkway. We turned left and passed the Gloria McClellan Senior Center on the right, built in 1989. This very active center has numerous programs, activities and services that are provided for Seniors. Continuing on Jim Porter Parkway, the bus drove uphill leading us past the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens. This 16-acre nature preserve is divided into different zones, each zone containing plants common to that zone. The garden hosts numerous festivals, mead and beer festivals and a variety of activities and classes throughout the year. Coming in April, there will be the Earth Day celebration with activities for adults and youth as well as vendors with products and information for homes and gardens. Alta Vista was established in 1999. Passing Alta Vista Botanical Garden, we were told that Brengle Terrace Park covers 82-acres filled with children’s play apparatus, hiking trails, tennis and pickle ball courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts as well as the Jim Porter Recreation Center for indoor basketball and other activities and meeting rooms. We drove past the main entrance to Moonlight Amphitheatre, home of summer musical productions and numerous musical productions and other activities throughout the year. Moonlight was originally a small stage and flag pavilion built in 1976 but was changed to the Moonlight Amphitheatre and opened with their first musical, “Oliver”, in 1981. Today the Moonlight Amphitheatre is one of the most popular outdoor theatre complexes in Southern California, seating over 2,000 people in the lower section, with 908 permanent seats, and over 1,000 people in lawn seating in the upper section.
Exiting the lower parking area of Brengle Terrace Park, by the Jim Porter Recreation Center, the bus turned right, back onto Vale Terrace Drive and passed the Vista Community Clinic and Women’s Center. The bus turned right, back onto E. Vista Way passing a number of shopping complexes that have recently gone through major changes and additions. Some of the new additions include the addition of Sprouts, Popeye’s and McDonald’s as well as a soon-opening, Better Buzz Coffee Shop. This area also has some ancient pictograph rocks, painted by Native American tribes that once lived in this area. One rock, “Indian Rock”, has been studied by archaeologists. Driving further down E. Vista Way we approached Taylor Street. Turning right onto Taylor Street we saw the Vista Hazardous Waste Facility that is open to the public to discard items that should not be put in trash receptacles. Just down from the Hazardous Waste Facility is the City of Vista Public Works Department facility. The Vista Public Works Department maintains the city streets and park facilities, drainage systems, traffic signals and signs and handles the maintenance and service of all city vehicles. Our bus pulled into the Public Works Department Facility where the Public Works Director Chris Arce joined us. Chris explained some of the vehicles the Public Works Department uses to handle any of the issues that arise in the city they are responsible for. Chris also explained the job his department does in taking care of graffiti issues around the city as well as charging those responsible for graffiti when they are caught. In the maintenance area we saw several fire and paramedic vehicles that were being serviced.
Exiting the Public Works yard, we drove back down Taylor, turned left on E. Vista Way and headed to Bobier Street. Turning right on E. Bobier, the bus would drive past Vista High School, crossing across N. Santa Fe Drive and driving past Bobier Elementary School, which has some major construction work in progress. Joe pointed out a vacant lot that is being proposed for a 3-story apartment complex. We turned right on Sports Park Way that led to the 32-acre Vista Sports Park. This large facility has several soccer fields, baseball and softball fields and a large children’s playground with an extensive array of playground equipment. The bus pulled over for a short time to give everyone a chance to stretch our legs and to see more of the Sports Park. Joe also explained where the City of Oceanside border was in relationship to our location. The City of Vista has a very unusual and jagged boundary that makes up the city boundaries. When possible and advisable the City of Vista acquires areas not part of the city at the present time.
Getting back on the bus, we exited Vista Sports Park, drove back to E. Bobier, turned right and drove a short distance to N. Melrose Drive. Turning left onto N. Melrose Drive, the bus drove through a section of businesses that were in a small business park area. If we had continued on what was E. Bobier Drive, this street becomes Oceanside Boulevard past Melrose Drive. Heading under Highway 78 on N. Melrose Drive, the bus passed the North County Court Project, the Vista Law Library, and Sheriff’s Offices and Jail. This San Diego County Superior Court was built in 1996 and referred to as the Hall of Justice. The Sheriff’s Station and Vista Detention Facility was built in 1970. Solar panels cover the parking area for the Superior Court and is a popular location for the Vista Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Just down the street is Breeze Hill Park and Breeze Hill Elementary School. Mike told the group that a new park is in the planning stages at the corner of Breeze Hill Road and La Tortuga Drive. Continuing down Melrose we passed Rancho Buena Vista High School which is close to Buena Vista Park. Mike pointed out that there is a joint use agreement with some of the parks in Vista where the Vista School District uses parks adjacent to schools during the school day and the city uses the park after school hours. Further down Melrose if you turn right on Mountain Pass Circle and follow the signs you can arrive at the parking lot for South Buena Vista Park and numerous hiking trails. Two new businesses recently opened on Melrose just past Lionshead. One of three new Dutch Brothers coffee locations in the city and a new Wendy’s Restaurant. We continued to Lionshead Avenue and drove through the large Vista Business Park. Vista Business Park covers 1,600 acres, has 900 businesses and is growing. There are 24,000 employees at the present time. Every type of business imaginable is in the business park, including a number of breweries and meaderies. Also in the business park there is a massive Amazon warehouse and a Target Store that is completely energy efficient. Staying on Lionshead, driving across Business Park Drive, the road turns into Poinsettia Avenue. We stayed on Poinsettia passing business after business, eventually turning left on La Mirada Drive which took us to Sycamore Avenue. Joe told the group that back in the business park area there is possibly a Buddhist Temple being built that is on a piece of property that is partially in San Marcos and partially in Vista close to Poinsettia Avenue. He said the city would work with San Marcos if this happened as it would require some improvements made to Poinsettia at the location.
Turning right on Sycamore we headed toward Highway 78. One of the areas we passed was the old Burlington Clothing store that shut down and moved to a new facility across the freeway in the Walmart shopping area. Joe explained that there has been some interest shown in the large vacant building, but the owners have not indicated what they plan to do with the building. Driving under Highway 78, the bus turned left and got on the freeway heading west. The bus got off the freeway at Civic Center Drive and headed North to S.Santa Fe Avenue where we turned left. S.Santa Fe Avenue which has gone through many changes over the past years with several businesses, restaurants and breweries going in. Someone asked about the vacant Geib Lumber building and area. Joe said the owners have not decided on what they plan to do with the area. Joe also pointed out the Paseo Artist Loft Complex of apartments and businesses that were in the area. Mike spoke about the large mural on the apartment complex across the street. Along the way, in the center of the roundabouts, large metal art sculptures have been erected by local artists. Arriving at the Downtown Vista Historical part of town, the bus turned right on Main Street. This busy part of Vista has numerous eateries, breweries and other businesses, the newest being the Burger Bench Restaurant that recently opened. Mike spoke about the Historical Avo Theatre and the committee formed to give recommendations about what to do with the Avo. The city has approved money to bring the Avo up to today’s standards inside with lighting, sound and other needed improvements. One of the first buildings built in this area was the Vista Post Office, built in 1882. The Downtown area is also known for the number of large murals painted on the sides of many of the business walls. There are quite a few large metal sculptures on the street corners and one tradition that continues is the Heart of Locks metal sculpture next to the Ivy Gazebo on Main Street. Continuing down Main St. the street connects to Vista Village Dr. Our bus merged onto Vista Village Drive, going back to Civic Center Drive, turning left on Alta Vista Drive and back to the Civic Center parking lot and the end of our two-hour tour of Vista.
Obviously, there is a great deal of Vista we did not cover as we generally stayed on the outside boundaries for much of the tour, but for those people in the Leadership Academy that are new to the city, the tour gave them a good overview of many of the highlights in the city. Your job now is to explore Vista yourself and take time to drive around, see what else you can find, eat at different restaurants in different parts of the city and just explore the City of Vista.
Web sites for more information:
www.vista.gov/residents/park-trails
www.moonlightstage.com
www.vista.gov/departments/recreation-community-services/rancho-buena-vista-adobe/wedding-events
www.altavistabotanicalgardens.org
www.vista.gov/residents/senior-services
www.vista.gov/departments/public-works/household-hazerdous-waste
