Get Ready For Summer Fun

ive into summer with swimming, day camps and other fun activities sponsored by the Human Services and Recreation Department.

Swimming lessons and recreational swimming for all ages will be offered from June 27 to Aug. 13 at Blair High School, Pasadena High School, Robinson Park, Villa-Parke Community Center and CORAL Center. Admission ranges from 60¢ to $2.35 and children under 5 are free. A family swim pass is just $51. Early bird registration for lessons starts Saturday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at Victory Park, 2575 Paloma St.

Children ages 6 to 13 can enjoy field trips, arts and crafts, sports, swimming and more at day camps Monday through Friday from July 11 to Aug. 19. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and extended hours are available. Choose from four Pasadena parks - Allendale, Robinson, Villa or Victory - with fees ranging from $262 to $483. Financial assistance
is available.

Free summer day camp activities for children 6 to 13 are offered at Jefferson, La Pintoresca and Washington parks Monday through Friday from July 11 to Aug. 19, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities include swimming, arts and crafts, team basketball, cookouts, games and more.

Children and teens up to 18 years old will stay fueled for fun with the free summer breakfast (8 a.m.) and lunch (noon) program at Allendale, Jefferson, La Pintoresca, Robinson, Victory, Villa and Washington parks July 11 through August 26.

Registration is required for all programs. For more information and ideas for summer fun, call 744-7550 or visit www.cityofpasadena.net/humanservices and click on Recreation Programs.

Is your child disabled? Call 744-7257 for information about summer activities including arts and crafts, horseback riding, field trips and more!

Hey, Kids!

If you're 12 years old or younger, join forces with other "Super Readers, Super Heroes" at your neighborhood library June 18 through August 8. Become a super reader and you'll be rewarded each week with a super hero prize during Pasadena Public Library's 2005 Summer Reading Club.

Teens 13 to 18 also can beat summer boredom with summer reading and weekly prize drawings for their age group.

Sign up for either program beginning June 18 at Central Library or any branch. The summer reading program for children and teens is funded by the Friends of the Pasadena Public Library.

Along with a summer full of great books, children can look forward to fun and free special programs including poetry and jazzed-up nursery rhymes in June, live animals in July and a marvelous puppet show in August. And don't miss Tuesday Tales, back by popular demand with four spectacular storytellers.

Teens can take part in a Monopoly tournament, chess, anime reviews and more.

For more info visit www.PasadenaPublicLibrary.net or call 744-4066, option 4 (children) or 744-4766 (teens).

Join the Pothole Patrol

THIS WINTER'S RECORD RAINS left behind more than green grass and
abundant flowers. You're likely to find more than the usual potholes along
Pasadena's city streets.

POTHOLE Potholes form when water seeps through cracks in the pavement and puddles up. Water pressure and gravity combine to break up the dirt under the roadway, causing the asphalt to slump and a new pothole to
be born.

To fix road hazards quickly, the Public Works Department is encouraging everyone to report any potholes or badly damaged pavement you might see on Pasadena streets or sidewalks. To make a report, call 744-4158 during normal working hours or leave a detailed message after hours. You can also file a report online at www.cityofpasadena.net/comments/departmentscomments.asp.

New Tools for Retail Alcohol Sellers

THE CITY COUNCIL recently adopted a new ordinance that requires performance standards for certain retail stores that sell alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption. The ordinance was proposed specifically to deal with previously unregulated establishments.

These “grandfathered” businesses do not have conditional use permits for operating in their locations. Signs have been posted at these stores outlining the new standards and encouraging patrons to notify police if any of the standards are not met.

The standards require proper maintenance of the properties and prohibit the following activities, inside and outside: disturbing the peace, drug sales and use, public consumption of alcohol, public drunkenness, harassment of passers-by, gambling, prostitution, sale of stolen goods, public urination, vandalism, littering, loitering, graffiti, illegal parking, loud noises, curfew violations, lewd conduct and other illegal activity.

Residents who witness any violations are encouraged to call the Pasadena Police Department’s 24-hour Nuisance Hotline at 744-8477. For more information about the new ordinance call the Code Compliance Office at 744-4633.

Help Prevent Wildfires

TO PROTECT OUR HILLSIDES during the peak wildfire season this summer, the Pasadena Fire Department will conduct brush clearance inspections through the end of June. If you live in a high-hazard brush area, watch for a brochure listing state laws and regulations that will help keep you and your neighbors safe. In the meantime, the Fire Department offers these tips:

You may be tempted to clear out all native chaparral, but don't! Chaparral plays an important role in stabilizing slopes and controlling erosion. Instead, keep grass and weeds mowed and use groundcovers that are less than 24 inches tall and have a high moisture content.
Keep other shrubs and trees well trimmed and make sure they are positioned about 18 feet apart from each other. Good choices with high moisture content include citrus, oak and oleander.
Clean leaves, needles and twigs from your roof gutters.
Soak trees and shrubs monthly to maintain leaf moisture. Add at least three inches of mulch over planted areas to snuff out weeds.
Keep your property free of anything that can catch fire such as dried vegetation, cuttings and wood.

For more information call 744-7178.

Guidelines for City Sidewalks

TREE-LINED SIDEWALKS help make Pasadena a beautiful place to live. But as
with most things in life, sidewalks are subject to damage, wear and tear.

Who takes care of the repairs? Here are a few answers from the Public
Works Department.

Private property owners are responsible for the repair of sidewalks, walls, steps, walkways and driveways, even if the damage was caused by a city-owned tree. If any sidewalk damage looks like it could be hazardous to pedestrians, call 744-4158 to request a temporary asphalt patch at no charge. If you'd like a more permanent fix, hire a contractor to make the repairs. (Make sure the contractor is licensed and has obtained a permit from the Public Works Engineering Division at 280 Ramona St., one block south of Walnut Street between Garfield and Marengo.)

If you'd rather have the city do the work, call 744-4191. An engineer will visit the site and provide you with an estimate. Generally, it costs $5 per square foot to remove the broken concrete, cut any tree roots and pour the new sidewalk. The city will make every attempt to save your parkway tree and a city forester will visit the site to make sure the tree can stay in place safely. You'll be asked to write a check to the city to cover the costs and your project will be added to the list of repairs scheduled annually. You can go to www.cityofpasadena.net/comments/departmentscomments.asp to report
sidewalk problems.

Curbs and gutters, on the other hand, are repaired by the Public Works Department at no charge just before the scheduled resurfacing or slurry sealing of your street. If your curb or gutter is damaged or unsafe right now or if you have any other questions about repairs, call 744-4191. For questions about city trees, call the Parks and Natural Resources Division at 744-4321.

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