PRESERVATION UPDATE
Our
natural environment is a big part of our heritage and if you have been following the
Tree Crisis you know that
now may be the most crucial time to help stressed trees survive. A recent inventory of City Street and Park Trees confirmed that over 1,600 trees are in extreme danger of not surviving the summer. The
City of Claremont and a number of other groups including
Sustainable Claremont and
Claremont Heritage have raised the alarm that together as a community we must act now to preserve our beautiful and unique Urban Forest. Please see the
video below and learn how we can save both water and trees!
As
Pomona College continues to press forward to gain support and approval of its new Master Plan, the leadership of
Claremont Heritage continues to voice concern and opposition over the construction of a new museum on the west side of College Avenue at Bonita. Claremont's history of preserving our cultural, natural and architectural heritage is what sets us apart from other communities. Some of the current issues involve challenging the very tenets that have made Claremont a unique and special historic place.
Claremont Heritage is continuing our tradition of documenting our heritage by filming
oral/visual histories. Recently we spent time with Eleanor Pierson, who has spent her entire life in Claremont. We have also been interviewing people involved with the
Mexican Players who entertained visitors to the
Padua Hills Theatre for over 40 years. These interviews will be consolidated with archival images into several short documentaries that will help to preserve our cultural legacy. If you have historic materials or know someone who we should interview please contact Executive Director, David Shearer -
[email protected] or (909) 621-0848.
Claremont Heritage is also working on a
book and documentary project under the project name
"Claremont Modern" - Seeking to document our history from the recent past is a daunting task - Finding and gathering old plans, photographs and other ephemera is often a frustrating process. So is the funding required to bring these projects to fruition - If you would like to help please contact Executive Director, David Shearer -
[email protected] or (909) 621-0848.
UPCOMING EVENTS
An exciting evening of
Art and Jazz will take place on Friday September 4th from 6 - 9pm at the Garner House. More info below.
Please mark your calendars for our
33rd Annual Home Tour Weekend taking place October 8 - 11th. The theme this year is
MISSION TO MODERN - 1900 - 1940s and includes such iconic architecture as the
Greene & Greene Darling House. We have a program packed weekend planned again this year that you will not want to miss! See the information below and pre-order your Weekend Package now!
Claremont Heritage is an inclusive community organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating our cultural, architectural and natural heritage - see how you can become involved
HERE!Best regards,
David Shearer
Executive Director
SAVE OUR TREESSave the Trees! Did you know that over
1,600 City Trees are currently under extreme stress and may not survive the summer? This would have a major impact on the "Look and Feel" of our community. Did you know that homeowners are required to water the City Street Trees on their property? Please view the short film below and find out what you can do. If you are interested in more information or are concerned about trees in your neighborhood please contact the Community Services Department at 909-399-5431 or
CLICK HERE A few simple steps can make the difference - As most of you know, watering the Street Trees in front of your home is the responsibility of the property owner. View a Public Service Announcement Below.
Simple rules of thumb are as follows:
For small and newly planted trees water once a week for 15 - 20 minutes - if you have a sprinkler system replace your sprayhead with a bubbler for a good soaking. Or get out with the hose and enjoy the nature. When using a hose with spray head you do not have to water only on the days specified for irrigation watering systems - you can do it when it works best for you!
For large, mature trees, consider installing a drip system that will soak the root system - once or twice a month for 45 minutes to an hour. The goal is to soak the ground to a depth of 18 - 24". You can also attach a "soaker hose" to your garden hose and wrap it around the base of the tree out to the drip-line and make sure your trees get the moisture they need.
We can do this! We can save water and our trees!
Claremont Heritage is not opposed to a new museum - in fact we welcome it! We are only concerned with the proposed location. Pomona College was part of Claremont's history from the very beginning and has been a major influence on what our town is today. Claremont's history of preserving our cultural, natural and architectural heritage is what sets us apart from other communities. Pomona College acknowledges these values by desiring to return their campus design to the ideals that were originally planned by noted architect Myron Hunt.
This is where there seems to be a disconnect of sorts. By proposing a large-scale institutional building on the block between 2nd Street and Bonita on the west side of College Avenue and moving the iconic Renwick House from its original location, Pomona will in effect violate historic elements that are part of its own legacy. Please Pomona College, do the right thing for the colleges, the community and our heritage. Relocate the museum elsewhere.