THE GARDEN GROVE
INSIDE CORAL REEF WETSUITS OWNER TONY JONES HAS BEEN CRAFTING CUSTOM ITEMS FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. PAGE 1 3
JOURNAL ALSO SERVING WESTMINSTER AND MIDWAY CITY
AN EDITION OF
THURSDAY, AUG. 8, 20 1 3
OCREGISTER.COM/GARDENGROVE
KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Built in 1 963, Atlantis Play Center gives kids a place to slide, zip and swing their way to fun.
A WHALE OF A TIME BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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As a kid, you’re in your own environment here. You can do whatever you want. You are free. Atlantis Play Center is one of those rare treasures.” JOEL BRUCK, 29, SUPERVISOR FOR PRECIOUS YEARS CHILDREN’S CENTER
irst they built it, then they came – hundreds of thousands of them. Children and parents were attracted to the lure of a mythical place celebrating the wonders of the sea. With its green sea serpent slide, King Neptune statue and Viking ship made from a refurbished row boat, Atlantis Play Center in Garden Grove has been attracting the young and young at heart for 50 years.
Above: Garden Grove’s David Case, 7, takes his turn on a whale slide at Atlantis Play Center while Naomi Perez, 4, chills in the shade. Left: Ollie Weeks, 2, and Izzy Weeks, 4, go down the sea dragon slide. ANGELA PIAZZA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
BY THE NUMBERS
S E E AT L A N T I S ● PA G E 4
An effort to revitalize the area in Garden Grove could include expansion of the Village Green.
A long-term effort to rebuild and rebrand downtown is underway. And city officials are looking for the public’s help. A plan to get feedback from residents and business owners is expected to be unveiled within the month; the program will include an online forum where users can submit development ideas, discuss potential funding options and publish photos
GARDEN GROVE
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70,000 Visitors a year
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Swings
Slides
Garden Grove Journal goes big
CITY FOCUSING ON DOWNTOWN
BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
2 Years to plan and build
FILE PHOTO: MICHAEL GOULDING, THE REGISTER
City officials are saying they want to turn their attention to Main Street in Garden Grove to create a cultural hub for the city.
of other public projects. The proposal to revitalize downtown Garden Grove comes as city officials continue to work on a two decade-long project to revitalS E E P R O J E C T ● PA G E 1 1
You are holding the new, larger Garden Grove Journal. It’s chock-full of the faces, places and news that make Garden Grove, Westminster and Midway City different from any other stretch of Orange County. You’ll find in-depth features. There will be stories about our schools, our faiths, our businesses and our children. Perhaps best of all, you have a chance to help shape this new Journal. We invite you to write Letters to the Editor and to submit stories. Even with
these changes, this newspaper remains anchored in its roots. This week, Freedom Communications Inc., which publishes the Orange County Register, finalized a deal to purchase the Journal from Jim and Marilyn Tortolano. Jim Tortolano co-founded the paper and first published it on Sept. 1, 1983.You can read a letter by Jim on Page 10. Please let us know how we are doing by dropping us a line at thejournal@oc register.com. The Garden Grove Journal was founded in 1 983. DOUGLAS MORINO, THE REGISTER
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