Pirate Plunge Receives Innovative Programming Award
The City of Carlsbad received an Award of Excellence from the California Park & Recreation Society for its Pirate Plunge event. The city’s recognition in the category of Innovative Programming will be honored at the California Parks & Recreation Society Conference, held in Sacramento, March 19 – 22. The Pirate Plunge event offers pirate themed pool activities and games at Alga Norte Aquatic Center. Community members of all ages enjoy fun water activities which include diving for treasure, cannonball crush, ship raider race and more, in the warm water pool. Activities and games on dry land include a treasure hunt, pirate ship slide, a tropical bounce house and photo opportunities with the Captain Jack Sparrow look alike. As the sun goes down, participants can relax while watching a pirate-themed movie on the giant outdoor movie screen while hanging in the pool or relaxing on the deck. The CPRS awards program is the highest recognition our agency can receive and our award is a credit to the aquatic and special event staff that made this happen. We are honored to receive this award on behalf of our residents.
Commendable First Responses
On Tuesday, March 12, at approximately 10:30 a.m., a cyclist collapsed while traveling on Camino De Los Coches, adjacent to eastern end of Stagecoach Community Park. The cyclist was knocked unconscious, bleeding and having difficulty breathing. Fortunately for the cyclist, however, Parks Maintenance Worker II Tom Elg was performing work along the sidewalk and sprang into action. A motorist, who happened to be a nurse, also stopped and called 911, then started administering first aid to the cyclist. Meanwhile, Tom quickly called Parks Maintenance Worker III Joe Pimentel and requested that he bring the defibrillator from the Stagecoach Community Center to the incident site. Within minutes, Joe and Parks Supervisor Temujin Matsubara were onsite, handing the defibrillator to the nurse, and providing traffic control measures. A second motorist, who also happened to be a nurse, had likewise stopped and was assisting in administering CPR to the cyclist. The nurses delivered two shocks from the defibrillator to the cyclist. Fire Department staff subsequently arrived and transferred the cyclist to an awaiting ambulance monitor. According to Emergency Management Services Manager Mary Murphy, the Parks & Recreation staff exhibited ‘fantastic quick thinking’ in getting the defibrillator onsite, as it was ‘a massive help in getting the individual’s heart to start again.’
The first responses of Tom Elg, Joe Pimentel and Temujin Matsubara are absolutely commendable. Their timely and appropriate efforts may have very well been life-saving for this cyclist traveling past the park. Not only were these gentlemen in the right place at the right time, but they took the right actions! Kudos to them!
Arroyo Vista Trail Maintenance
On Saturday, March 16, city staff and 27 volunteers, including trail captains and first-time volunteers, joined together in efforts to maintain the beautiful Arroyo Vista Trail. The crisp morning made a perfect aura for trail work and the group collectively repaired erosion, installed trail regulation signs, constructed timber steps, removed weeds and picked up litter. Participants completed all the morning’s tasks and contributed approximately 70 hours of service to the city. This successful event would not happen without a passion and commitment of people who came out and eagerly worked side by side with their community.
Pine Avenue Community Center and Gardens Project is a Winner!
The Pine Avenue Community Center and Gardens Project has been selected as the ‘Outstanding Project Winner’, in the Community Development Category of the American Society of Civil Engineers Awards Program. The selection provides significant recognition for the civil engineering design of this project. Staff is very pleased the city’s civil engineering subconsultant, BergerABAM, nominated the Pine Avenue Community Center and Gardens project for this prestigious award.
Celebrating World Water Day
Water Conservation and Meter Services staff participated in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundations World Water Day celebration last Saturday. Staff promoted and answered questions about our ongoing water conservation efforts and making sure citizens make water conservation a California way of life. The event included other outreach booths, 5K and 10K run and a BBQ. The event was held to recognize the importance of World Water Day, Agua Hedionda Lagoon’s sustainability and the eradication of the Caulerpa Taxfolia which is a dangerously invasive seaweed that took root in the lagoon. Also known as “killer algae,” Caulerpa taxifolia was declared eradicated from Agua Hedionda Lagoon in 2006.