Published in the April 27 – May 10, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Robert Airoldi
Robert Airoldi
Photo by Marty Cheek
The old South Valley Bike Shop at the corner of Second Street and Monterey Road was demolished the week of April 18. Kathy Sullivan shows a photo of the original store that stood there.
The transformation of downtown Morgan Hill continues as the vacant former South Valley Bike building at the corner of Second Street and Monterey Road was demolished the week of April 18. Property owner Dan McCranie is working on plans for a mixed-use development at the site, but in the meantime the city will move the pop-up park located at the corner of Third Street and Monterey Road to the former bike store site.
The demolition is just one of many changes taking place in downtown. Frank Leal is renovating the former Granada Theater site that will include a live venue, boutique hotel and marketplace. The parking garage is scheduled to open in May and that same month demolition on the former Simple Beverages building will begin before construction of four new restaurants takes place. It is somewhat sad to see the old building with the mural painted on the north wall disappear — McCranie did save the image of the mural for future reproduction — but exciting to imagine what downtown Morgan Hill will look like in the next 12 to 18 months.
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What do you get when you bring together generous friends and neighbors, passionate and energetic volunteers, and a diligent and caring staff? You get a successful Mt. Madonna YMCA Community Support Campaign. Thanks to great financial support from the community, the goal of reaching $209,000 was surpassed by more than $15,000. The fundraising campaign ensures everyone regardless of age, income or background has the opportunity to participate in any of the Y’s programs. Every penny raised during this campaign is used to subsidize programs and scholarships for individuals or families. Thanks to everyone involved and the entire South County community for supporting the Y as they continue to help make our community a great place for kids to grow up, families to thrive and seniors to enjoy a warm and supportive environment. Good job, everyone!
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We’ve been waiting to learn what community project the 2016 Leadership Morgan Hill Class has chosen to do. Class members Kathy Sullivan and Linda Bernabe revealed to Morgan Hill Life the project at the fundraising launch at BookSmart April 9.
The class chose the historic Loritta Bonfante Johnson Education Center, home of Central High School on Tilton Avenue, as a place to install a 1/2-acre “community oasis,” which Sullivan described as a haven of garden, landscape and educational components created for the students at the campus.
The project will help in the beautification of what is now an eye-sore of a space with environmentally friendly and educational components at Central High School. Using educational signs, plants, garden features, boulders, trees, benches, and landscape materials, the class of 2016 will create a serene and beautiful oasis surrounding the old water tank on the site.
“This new space will be open to the surrounding community at select times,” class member Rebecca Garcia told us. “Central High School was chosen to provide the school with support, and to recognize the invaluable education and guidance that is provided to our youth.”
To start raising the estimated $12,000 needed for the project, the class will host a wine and appetizer fundraiser at Bubbles Wine Bar in downtown Morgan Hill from 4 to 8 p.m. May 9 and 10. Two glasses of wine and one appetizer are $40. Tickets are for sale in at BookSmart or by contacting Margaret McCann at [email protected] or calling (408) 813-4711. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
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Photo by Marty Cheek
Irene Mort prepares a flower bed for new plants coming this May.
Irene Mort of the South Valley Fleurs Garden Club was out with other volunteers recently pulling weeds out of the downtown planters and clearing the sidewalks. She told us they are preparing the soil for begonias to be planted in early May.
“We have 40 volunteers who help us such as grandparents who bring their grand kids to help, Boy Scout troops, Girl Scouts, and Pioneer Girls,” she said. “We’re weeding now because we haven’t planted for a long time. When our volunteers come, they won’t have to do the heavy weeding.”
The garden club plants flowers to give the downtown some color four times a year. Mort told us that Dave Vincent, the owner of CalColor, donates the flower plants from his Morgan Hill-based company.
“He’s been doing it for almost 20 years, and never asks for any publicity. He gives all those beautiful plants to us that make the downtown look so great,” she said.
Thank you, Dave, for your generosity to making our community more beautiful with flowers.
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Our good friend Matt Kennedy, the son of the recently deceased former Mayor Dennis Kennedy, stopped by Morgan Hill Life’s downtown office recently to say there is a slight change in where donations honoring his father should go. Matt has been working with the local aquatic foundation to set up a special memorial fund for people to send checks in support of helping children and youth learn swimming skills and water safety.
If you’re interested in helping out by writing a check, put on the memo “Dennis Kennedy Memorial Fund” and mail it to Morgan Hill Aquatic Foundation, P.O. Box 1894, Morgan Hill, CA, 95038.
He also appreciates the warm wishes he and his family have received from the community.
“It’s been great getting the outpouring of love for my dad and people checking on me,” he said. “My dad would be very happy with all of the support.”
Dennis’s funeral will be held at St. Catherine’s Church in Morgan Hill at 10 a.m. Saturday April 30. The community will miss a great guy.
