Community, Cultural, Political, Activist, and General Interest - Page 2

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Morro Bay Seeks Pictures of the Past

As the city's 50th anniversary approaches, Morro Bay residents are taking a look back at the people, places and events that helped make the community what it is today. Anyone with ties to the area is being asked to leaf through family photo albums and find pictures that could be used during a citywide celebration next year to mark 50 years since Morro Bay became a city on July 17, 1964. "We're particularly looking for actions shots – a fire breaking out or an event taking place," said Morro Bay photographer Garry Johnson, who is gathering photos for the celebration. "We're concentrating on the past five decades, but we're interested in photos from any period."  While pictures of the sun setting behind Morro Rock may be beautiful, they don't necessarily tell a story about the city's history. Johnson said celebration organizers are most interested in finding photos that illustrate life in the community.

 The 50th anniversary celebration is still in the planning stages, Johnson said, and organizers are looking at a number of ways that the photos might be used. "It depends on what we have to work with," he said. "We'd like to get ten pictures from each decade – the '60s, the '70s, the '80s, etc. – and make them part of a huge display. It would be a portable presentation of photos that could be moved to different locations around town." He said a book or other commemorative publication is also being considered. Johnson assured that those who contribute photos will receive appropriate credit and that they will be able to keep their originals.

 "We will copy them and get written permission to use them," he said. He noted that the search is not limited to photos from the past 50 years. If  people have older photos of historical significance, he and his fellow organizers would be interested in seeing those, too. Johnson is working with Bill and Tracy Shewchuk at Suite 1 Gallery. For more information, call Johnson at (805) 772-3738, or send email. Or, photos can be taken to the gallery at 601 Embarcadero, Suite 1, Morro Bay.

New Bike Map Puts Morro Bay Cyclists on the Right Path

Like many newcomers, when Barry Rands first arrived on the Central Coast, he was delighted to find a wealth of great bicycle routes. But the discovery was by trial and error. “I discovered Morro Bay’s bike paths by chance,” said Rands, who is now an associate engineer with the city’s Public Services Department. “Because they were hard to find, they were a really well-kept secret.”

Now the secret is out. Through a combined effort with the Morro Bay Tourism Bureau and the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club, the City of Morro Bay has a new Bike Route Map. The free map is available at several locations throughout the city, or it can soon be downloaded from the city’s website: www.morro-bay.ca.us.

The map shows detailed routes for biking within the city and marks public restrooms, bikes shops and other places of interest to cyclists. It also directs riders to regional routes around the Central Coast, from Cayucos to Los Osos and inland toward San Luis Obispo. “For those more adventurous riders, it includes some outlying routes through the countryside, and some elevation and climbing routes as well,” Rands said. He said biking enthusiasts have wanted a Morro Bay bike map for years, but without available funding, the plan was shelved. Recently, with financial support from the Morro Bay Tourism Bureau and the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club, the map became a reality.

Helping to spearhead the project was Robert Davis, chairman of the Morro Bay Citizens Bike Committee and past president of the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club. Both groups aim to encourage and support safe biking. “We love this type of project,” Davis said. “It fits exactly with the bike club’s mission.” He noted that the new map also demonstrates what can be achieved through successful partnership. “It’s an excellent example of nonprofits and government working together for the public,” he said.

Free copies of the map are available at: Morro Bay Visitors Center, 255 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay City Hall, 595 Harbor St.; the city’s Recreation & Parks Department, 1001 Kennedy Way; and at various other locations throughout the community.