April/May 2012

A publicationprovided for residents bythe City of West Covina

WWW.WESTCOVINA.ORG

WestCovinaTHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF WEST COVINA

WestCovinaDiscoverDiscover

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF WEST COVINA

PLAYGROUND AT PALMVIEW PARK

West Covina City Council

Approves Expansion and Upgrade

ADA-accessible, structuredexercise and recovery/cool-downfeatures will be added.

The West Covina City Counciltakes pride in the quality of cityparks. In addition to expandingcity parks as funding becomes

available, the council feels it isimportant that they remaincognizant of the different needsof the community. These newupgrades take into account ADAaccessibility.

The City of West Covina is now accepting paid advertising in the city’s newsletter, Discover West Covina.This newsletter, which has a distinctive brand in the community, is mailed to every home in West Covina.Not only does every residence receive this newsletter, but copies are placed on the front counters of citydepartments and it is posted on the city’s Web site.

Businesses can receive great promotional exposure while helping the City fund a very importantcommunication tool with the community. If you are interested in advertising, send an e-mail toadvertising4discover@westcovina.org.

CITY OF WEST COVINA SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The West Covina CityCouncil, at the March6, 2012 city council

meeting, voted to expand andupgrade the playground tot lotat Palmview Park, 1340 E.Puente Ave. The historic jetplane at this park will not beaffected; it will remain as is.

New playground equipmentwill be purchased utilizingCommunity DevelopmentBlock Grant funds. Thesefunds will provide significantupgrades to the park’splayground while achieving ahigher rate of compliance withthe recommendations of theAmericans with DisabilitiesAct. In addition to the newplayground equipment, new

PAGE 2

Do You Know What’s Been Happening in the City of West Covina

The West Covina City Council, at the

March 6 meeting, approved moving

forward with a street rehabilitation

project that includes streets at various

locations throughout the city.

T he West Covina Senior Villas II, WestCovina’s newest affordable housingbuilt for senior citizens, is now open!

The three-story, 65-unit apartment complexis conveniently located at 1838 E. WorkmanAve., with access to shopping, medical officesand public transportation. The complex offersone-bedroom apartments, each having its own

Senior Housing Available at Newly

Completed West Covina Senior Villas II

West Covina City Council Approves

Street Rehabilitation Project

private patio/balcony and is equipped with a full kitchen,including refrigerator and stove. The complex has on-site laundry facilities, a community/recreation room anda patio area.

For information and availability at the West CovinaSenior Villas II, call the leasing office at (626) 331-0208.

Total length of streetsto be worked on:

nearly 5 miles andmore than 1 million

square feet

The work will include repairing of

damaged curbs, gutters and

sidewalks, as well as replacement

of handicap ramps at various

intersections in order to comply

with ADA requirements.

The rehabilitation

project will consist of

grinding down roughly two

inches of existing asphalt

concrete pavement and

providing asphalt concrete

overlay, and installing new

pavement markings.

For a list of all streets involved

FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT: PROPOSITION C TRANSPORTATION TAX, GAS TAX AND MEASURE R

and the sections to be rehabilitated, call

the City of

West Covina

Public Works

Department at

(626) 939-8425

or visit the

city’s Web site

at www.westcovina.org.

The West Covina City Council

considers the quality of our streets a

priority and continues to move forward

on these projects as funding becomes

available.

PAGE 3

to Help Make It A Great Place To Live, Work & Play?

At the March 6,2012 city councilmeeting, SuburbanWater Systems

presented a generousdonation of $5,000 to thecity. The monies will be usedfor a splash pad at DelNorte Park, located at 1500W. Rowland Ave.

A splash pad is a playarea with ground nozzlesthat spray water upward forchildren to play in. Splashpads are often surfaced intextured non-slip concreteor in crumb rubber.

The splash pad at DelNorte Park will include a fullrecirculating filtration system to reduce the amount of water used at this City facility.

The City of West Covina was recognizedas the first local government of an eligible111 cities in Southern California Edison’s(SCE) service territory to advance to“Platinum Level Status,” the highest levelin SCE’s Energy Leader PartnershipProgram.

The City’s accomplishments in energyreduction and long-term energy planninghave resulted in more than 92 millionkilowatt-hours of energy savings betweenits municipal facilities and the community,which is enough energy to power 13,000homes for a year. Through its efforts, theCity has saved $225,000 in energy costs inits municipal facilities.

During these challenging economic times,the City has used a forward-thinkingapproach to invest precious dollars intoenergy efficiency projects that will reapshort- and long-term cost savings. The Cityof West Covina has completed projects thatrange from installing a cool roof on theSenior Center annex, to upgrading theheating, ventilation and air conditioningsystems in City Hall and the PoliceDepartment, to installing solar film at CityHall. The City has also upgraded its indoorand outdoor lighting and converted itstraffic signals to LED lighting.

When city budgets are tight, these savingsprove critical to balancing the bottom line.

Suburban Water Systems Donates $5,000 to West Covina

Splash Pad Coming to Del Norte Park!

CITY OF WEST COVINA SAVES $225,000

First City to Reach ‘Platinum Level Status’

This rendering shows what the new splash pad will look like.

CLEAN-UP SATURDAYS AND MORE

Do You Know What’s Been Happening in the City of West Covina

PAGE 4

Time for Spring Cleaning in West Covina!

‘5 Weeks of Green’

Saturday, April 21Free E-Waste Collection, West

Covina Maintenance Yard, 825 S.Sunset Ave., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.Accepted items include cellphones, computer monitors, CPUs,copiers, printers, scanners, faxmachines, telephones and TVs.

Earth Day, West Covina FarmersMarket, near Edwards Theatre at The

Lakes, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kids crafts andactivities, entertainment, archerydemonstrations, transportation expo,worm tea brewing demonstrations,Earth Day prizes and giveaways.Sunday, April 22

Arbor Day, Walmerado Park, 1 p.m.The National Arbor Day Foundationhas awarded the City of West Covinathe “Tree City USA” designation for the30th consecutive year. To celebrate,West Covina Beautiful will host anArbor Day observance, including a

commemorative tree plantinghonoring several distinguishedmembers of the community.Saturday, April 28

Used Oil Filter Collection andExchange, Pep Boys, 1540 E. AmarRoad, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Receive afree oil filter and used oil collection

Saturday, May 19

Household Hazardous Waste andE-Waste Roundup, West CovinaMaintenance Yard, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Bring unused paint, medicines,household cleaners, household andcar batteries, used oil, fi lters,computers, etc. (see top of Page 5).

Advanced Composting Workshop,West Covina Senior Center, 9 to 11a.m. Call (626) 939-8467 for moreinformation and to RSVP.

container when you bring in aused oil filter (while supplies last;West Covina residents only). Call(626) 939-8458 for details.Saturday, May 5

U-Haul Free Compost and MulchGiveaway, City MaintenanceYard, 8 to 11 a.m. Free organiccompost and mulch. Residentsmust bring their own shovel, bagor wheelbarrow. Limited to

approximately one wheelbarrowper type and per resident. Firstcome, first served. While supplieslast.Saturday, May 12

Southern California EdisonRefrigerator/Freezer Pickup. Call(800) 234-9722 to arrange a pickup.Get $50 for your old workingrefrigerator or freezer.

• Trash day on Monday, Clean-Up

Saturday will be April 21

• Trash day on Tuesday, Clean-Up

Saturday will be April 28

• Trash day on Wednesday, Clean-

Up Saturday will be May 5

• Trash day on Thursday, Clean-Up

Saturday will be May 12

• Trash day on Friday, Clean-Up

Saturday will be May 19

CLEAN-UP SATURDAYS

SCHEDULE

C lean-Up Saturdays return April 21, running for five consecutive Saturdays. This annual spring-cleaning event is for West Covina single-family residences only. Items eligible for pickupinclude household furniture, household appliances and bundled residential wood waste.

In order to prevent trash from overflowing and spilling into the street, all trash must be contained ina trash bin or a closed container, such as a box or a bag. For this year’s Clean-Up Saturdays schedule,see the Clean-Up Saturdays box below.

This year’s “5 Weeks of Green” will also include the following events:

to Help Make It A Great Place To Live, Work & Play?

PAGE 5

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE & E-WASTE ROUNDUPSome things are too toxic to throw

into the trash! On Saturday, May 19from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the WestCovina Maintenance Yard, 825Sunset Ave., you can dispose ofhousehold hazardous waste and

e l e c t r o n i cwaste safely.

Householdhazardous

w a s t eincludesb r a k ef l u i d ,p a i n t ,

paint thinner, cleanerscontaining acid or lye,pesticides and herbicides,household batteries, carbatteries, pool chemicals,motor oil, oil filters, expiredp h a r m a c e u t i c a l s ,

antifreeze, home-generated sharpsand fluorescent light bulbs.

Electronic waste includescomputer monitors, televisions,computer CPUs, keyboards,printers, cell phones and similarelectronics.

For more information, call(888) 253-2652 or (626) 939-

8458, or visit the City ofWest Covina’s Web siteat www.westcovina.org/environment.

T he next time you eat at El Torito, MarieCallender’s or Chili’s in West Covina, knowthat your leftovers are being composted into

soil amendment and fertilizers. These threerestaurants have been participating in a FoodWaste Pilot Program funded by AB 939 WasteReduction funds.

Each day, organic waste, such as food scraps,soiled napkins, coffee grounds and cardboardpackaging, are collected in 32-gallon bins andpicked up from each restaurant by AthensServices. This material is weighed and transferredto American Organics for processing andcomposting.

“This program really opened the team members’eyes to the amount of waste we collect and thebenefits of recycling food waste,” Chili’s GeneralManager Christina Uzeta said.

This pilot program improves the environment andhelps businesses better manage their disposalcosts. Additionally, it assists the City of West Covinato meet the state’s waste diversion requirements.

During this pilot program period, more than23 tons of organic materials have been collected

from the three participating restaurants.

CITY OF WEST COVINA& ATHENS SERVICES

FOOD WASTEPILOT PROGRAM

FOOD WASTE COLLECTION

Do You Know What’s Been Happening in the City of West Covina

PAGE 6

Southern California Gas Co. (“SoCalGas”)is alerting customers to be aware of personswho have recently posed as SoCalGasemployees. According to a newsaccount, the imposters distract anunsuspecting customer byperforming “gas leakinspections” while an accompliceburglarizes the customer’s home.

SoCalGas wants to assure allcustomers that all SoCalGasemployees carry proper identification whencalled out to any job. Customers shouldverify the employee’s proper uniform andidentification before letting anyone into thehome or onto the property.

Customer safety is a top priority forSoCalGas, and employees will always be

Attention West Covina Residents

Gas Company Warns Customers About Utility Impostershappy to wait while the customer confirmstheir identity.

Here are some tips to help customersidentify SoCalGas employees:

• Be vigilant and question anypersons who present themselves asrepresentatives of the utility.

• SoCalGas workers who performin-home appliance services,work on gas meters or workon gas pipelines wear

uniforms. However, some other employeesdo not. Always ask for identification beforeallowing anyone inside the home or ontothe property.

• The majority of authorized SoCalGasemployees will be in uniform with companylogo and carry an official employee badge.

Most field employees also drive a companyvehicle.

• Most of the time, a SoCalGas employeevisits a home or a business in response to aservice request. If no one scheduled anappointment, call SoCalGas before allowinganyone inside the home or onto the property.

• Never leave the house unlocked andunattended. SoCalGas does not ask customersto leave their homes unattended.

• To verify the authenticity of anyoneclaiming to be a representative of SoCalGas,customers are encouraged to ask for properidentification or call the utility at (800) 427-2200; for Spanish, call (800) 342-4545.SoCalGas customer service representativesare available 24 hours a day, seven days aweek.

to Help Make It A Great Place To Live, Work & Play?

PAGE 7

For the past four years, theformer County Club Centerin West Covina had been

undergoing many renovations,transforming it into the nowcompleted McIntyre Square, a first-class neighborhood center thatoffers state-of-the-art amenities,quality shops and a shoppingexperience that would be acombination of Disneyland andVictoria Gardens.

McIntyre Square, located atCitrus Street and South GarveyAvenue, is truly a neighborhoodcenter. The McIntyre Companyrevived the center with the goal toprovide West Covina residentsmore than just another shoppingcenter.

McIntyre Square was designedand built to provide residents a“downtown” square ambiance,where families can spend theirnight out, couples can enjoy datesand young adults can interminglein a venue where the communitycan gather and socialize. Inaddition, McIntyre Squarewelcomes residents to taste the

You’re Invited to

juicy blood oranges that surroundthe center when they are inseason.

No detail was overlooked whenThe McIntyre Company renovatedthe center: the design of thebuildings, the glamorous lightsthat illuminate the buildings, theparking lot lights that offer anostalgic look, the lushlandscaping that’s not onlyaesthetically pleasing but has analluring aroma, the 50-footmature cedar tree that providesshade to the central square, thespectacular custom-designedwater fountain with suspendedglass ball, the soothing sounds ofmusic playing throughout thecenter, and free Wi-Fi for the center’stech-savvy patrons.

McIntyre Square’s grand openingceremony is scheduled forWednesday, April 11th from 3:00 to5:00 p.m. to commemorate therenovation of the center.

For more information, visitwww.facebook.com/McIntyreSquareor call The McIntyre Company at(626) 332-2978.

The City of West Covina offers many programs at the

municipal pool, located at 1720 Merced Ave.

Swim lesson registration begins May 23rd for classes

including Parent & Me (ages 6 months to 3 years), Tiny Tots

(ages 3 to 5 years), six different levels of lessons, group swim

lessons, individual lessons and more. Recreational swimming

is also available at the city pool.

For more information about the many swim programs the

City of West Covina has to offer, visit the city’s Web site at

www.westcovina.org or call the Community Services

Department at (626) 939-8430.

Get Into the Swim of Summer 2012

McINTYRE SQUARE GRAND OPENING

City of West Covina1444 W. Garvey Ave.West Covina, CA 91793

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWEST COVINA, CA

PERMIT #625

RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER

CAR-RT SORT

WEST COVINACITY COUNCIL

PAGE 8

Mayor: Mike TouheyMayor Pro Tem: Shelley Sanderson

Councilmember: Steve HerfertCouncilmember: Fred Sykes

Have any new ideas for “Discover West Covina?” E-mail us:

Discoverwestcovina@westcovina.org or mail to: West Covina City Hall,

City Manager’s Office, Attn: PIO Sue Williams, 1444 W. Garvey Ave.,West Covina, CA 91793

Follow us on Twitter!

@CityofWCovina

On Saturday, April 28 at 8 a.m., theRotary Club of West Covina will hold itsthird annual 5K race at Westfield WestCovina.

Funds from the race will benefit oneof the local middle schools in WestCovina, by assisting with theinstallation of a fitness trail andexercise equipment to be installed oncampus. This is the Rotary Club’s secondeffort to address the issue of childhoodobesity in West Covina through thedonation of funds raised from this event.

For further details or to register toparticipate, visit the Web site atwww.wcrotary.com and look for the“Heart of the Valley 5K run” tab or call(626) 692-8467.

3rd Annual

5K Run/Walk

Mark Your Calendarfor April 28th

Photo courtesy of SGV Tribune, Watchara Phomicinda

West Covina Fire Departmentpersonnel receive training on new

CPR technology to aid citizens.L-r: Firefighter/paramedic Mike

Browne, fire engineer Hardy Mosley,fire Explorer Carlos Cano and fire

Explorer Jonathan Saucedo.

An Arbor Day tree plantingceremony was held at MonteVista School as part of the Dr.

Seuss 50th birthday celebration.

Castucci Foundation and West Covina City Council present

Egg-Citing Hunt on Saturday, March 31st, 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Call (626) 939-8430 for information.