Capitola Soquel 2015 Year in Review

by Noel Smith

2015 was a year of staying the course in the City of Capitola.

• Proposals to build an 80-room hotel on city property, to build a new city administration building that would serve as the City Hall and Police Station, and to build a three-story parking structure on the site of the current upper level parking lot were all turned down by the city council in response to protests from city residents.
• Proposals build a new Capitola Library on another site were rejected. When the new library is built, it will be at the same location.
• Development of the Rispin property as a public park with walkways and gardens was approved and will begin in 2016.
• The new park next to McGregor Road — which includes a play area, pump track, dog park and skateboard park — is on hold to mitigate lead-contaminated soil and will open in 2016.
• A proposed skate park as part of Monterey Avenue Park next to the school is on hold because of the concerns of the residents.
• The Capitola Mall and Brown Ranch, having both gone without significant renovation or upgrades for a number of years, have become problematic locations for small retailers with increasing numbers of vacancies.

And many of the things we love about Capitola are unchanging:

• Capitola Village with its Esplanade, beach and wharf.
• Its Classic Car and Motorcycle shows.
• The Wharf to Wharf with its energy, bands and worldwide reputation as the “The best little road race in California” and limited to just 16,000 runners!
• The Begonia Festival and its never-ending opportunities for family fun
• The Capitola Art and Wine Festival with its ambiance of culture and recreation.
• The Fireworks Extravaganza providing a new exclamation point to our season of festivals.
• Surfin’ Santa, the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Uncle Nathan’s Day bring a joyful end to an eventful year.

Happy New Year!