Twenty Carlsbad residents joined Council Members Ramona Finnila and Mark Packard to discuss their visions for Carlsbad future. The key themes that came out of this event included:
Attendees were asked to focus on four specific topics: Connecting, Community, Place and Spirit. Their thoughts, according to topic, are shown here and transcribed from the meeting notes.
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Connections |
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Town Hall Meetings (@ church group). Helps breakdown barriers. |
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Would like to connect w/other artists (writers, painters). Hold a Carlsbad's artist event; galleries |
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Creating a civic center; what we have right now at City Hall creates a Civic presence |
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Library gives a civic presence and can become focuses or centers |
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Music brings people together. |
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Community |
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Quality of life = Accessibility |
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Safety, secure, Walk-ability, Train-Commute downtown |
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Library - "run into others" |
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"Community" high in NW Quadrant |
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Get people out of their cars |
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Walking opens you up to meeting people |
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Something for everyone to do - Parks and Recreation/Young and Old |
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One big family - involvement with schools |
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Caring |
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Aid to others who need assistance |
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Bring everyone together North/South Carlsbad |
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What does Community feel like? |
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Welcome feeling |
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Fun |
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Confident parenting spirit |
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Respect diversity |
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Relationships/connections |
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Participating group activities (getting to know people) |
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City of Sierra Madre ex: of good community (in 1940's) |
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Connecting/Honoring neighborhood's/compatibility |
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Keeping in touch with each other |
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Seawall - great place to meet |
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Roosevelt/Grand perfect place for meeting place |
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What does our community mean to you? |
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"Olde Carlsbad" meandering streets, trees, friendly area. |
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Sense of small town |
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Carlsbad to many is north Carlsbad - the charm |
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Accessibility in North Carlsbad |
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Familiar, friendly people |
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Can get everything in Village on foot |
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Economic cross section in North Carlsbad mirrors community |
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Central Plaza idea like in Mexico or Europe |
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Coffee Shop/ with fountain - is a meeting place/like the music |
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TGIF is very good |
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City events - no street closures (as much as possible) |
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Place |
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Culture |
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Education |
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Attractive |
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Waterfront |
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Oceanside created a Civic Center in their downtown area; we have the same potential. Combine civic & arts |
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City so large, hard to figure out the "perfect" place for the Civic Center. |
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Center of City another option. |
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How can we make Carlsbad better? |
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A place to sit and watch sun set by seawall. |
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A place to visit with each other - meeting place - like for Mime's etc. |
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Family fun center - not to just hang out but for organized play - not the Family Fun center commercial site - but a family (fun place to be) center. |
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Seawall walk - continue down the coast. |
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More of the trail system |
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What qualities create great places? |
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Parks/Open Space |
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Community walks |
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Schools |
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Theatre's/performing arts |
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Vista's Brengle Terrace - Open Space and large amount of grass just feels good. |
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Accessibility |
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Friendliness - openness |
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Place to gather - bandshell? |
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Bike trail accessibility |
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Proximity to services |
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Examples of good spaces? |
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If you can walk there! |
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Possibilities to participate |
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Carlsbad is big in area - hard to centralize |
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Diversity of spaces for all ages |
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Pedestrian - friendly |
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Qualities of a Civic Center |
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Libraries |
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Gathering Place |
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Educational Opportunities |
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Museum |
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Gallery |
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Need some sort of commercial to make it viable |
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Look to NYC as a model. Hand in public, private, entertainment, restaurants, culture |
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Downtown closes too early. Summer would be a nice time to extend hours. |
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Seaport village |
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Palm Desert - People outside, all age groups, dogs, skate park |
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Parking always needs to be kept in mind. |
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Santa Monica Promenade - a good example, Farmers Market. |
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"Old" City Hall had accessibility; "New" City facility (Faraday) people have to get in their cars. |
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Copy what we have in NW Quadrant to other parts of City. |
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TGIF - GREAT |
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Old City Hall is not a Civic Center any longer - Faraday is the Civic Center |
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Civic Center - has buildings, plays, dances, and recitals, old fashion fairs. |
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Do not have Civic City businesses in downtown Old Carlsbad. |
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Multi-cultural entertainment/movies |
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Separation of City business from Recreational Activities |
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Are we too large to build a central Civic Building? Possibly! |
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We like the open area around the GIA for a City Civic Center |
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Join recreation and family center together with City businesses... same question - what is the right answer? |
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Mixed uses in building help create connections and community - walk-ability. |
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Centrally located site - good |
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Important we can walk to/around Civic Center |
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Tourism is good - good for tourists to have a destination. |
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Important to fell safe. |
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Restaurants on State Street help more people to come thus creating "Safe Environment" |
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Help us to connect - no separation between the "have's" and the "have-nots" |
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Spirit |
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How do we demonstrate: The Barrio Festival, The Street Faire, Sporting Events - Triathlon |
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Key Values: Connections, high quality - keep improving, diversity - more participation, share culture |
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Independence - Stronger sense of being an independent community - not San Diego. |
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People live here but go other places for "fun" |
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More balance i.e. Community - shops vs. gas stations vs. apartments |
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Volunteerism |
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Civility |
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Consistence |
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"Aloha" Spirit - welcoming, open, giving and with surfing. |
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Ecologically sensitive - drought-tolerant landscaping. |
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What can you do personally to enhance Spirit? |
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Say Hello - be friendly |
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Expand friendliness beyond neighborhood |
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Shop locally |
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Get involved |
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Support local government |
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Learn - Citizen's Academy |
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Look for good in Community - support it! |
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