Happy Holidays, Santa Clarita

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Happy Holidays, Santa Clarita!

By Ken Striplin

Santa Clarita City Manager

It’s the holiday season — a time of magic, wonder and opportunities to make lasting memories with the ones you love. As you gather for family meals or take a trip to see relatives that haven’t had a chance to come together for a while, I encourage you to stop and reflect on the past year and remind yourself of all of the blessings you have received.

In the City of Santa Clarita, 2022 brought exciting changes and additions that benefit all residents and enhance the quality of life we enjoy. From opening a new park and more pickleball courts to designing a new experience for children of all abilities, this year has been full of highlights.

In early March, the City officially cut the ribbon at Vista Canyon Park, located within the Vista Canyon community in Canyon Country. This park is the 36th City park that is owned and maintained by the City.

Vista Canyon Park offers a playground, a fulllength basketball court, two tennis courts and three pickleball courts. In addition, the beautiful Mitchell River House — a tribute to the Mitchell Family Adobe — is a new venue that can be rented for weddings and other special events.

The Celebrate Series kicked off in 2022, showcasing the sights, sounds, tastes and styles of cultures from around the world. This monthly event, which ran from April through September at the Canyon Country Community Center, highlighted music, food, dance, art and more from various cultural groups that call Santa Clarita home.

Please be on the lookout for information on the 2023 Celebrate schedule, which will be released in the coming weeks.

This summer, residents from throughout the City gathered for the Fourth of July Parade, which was held for the first time since 2019. This event really embodies the Santa Clarita spirit because it brings together neighbors to celebrate our shared patriotism and support the community.

It was wonderful to see the different organizations participate in the parade and the night was capped off by an awe-inspiring fireworks display at Westfield Valencia Town Center.

In just a few short weeks, children of all ages and abilities will have a new place where they can explore and play together when the West Creek Park Inclusive Play Area opens to the public.

Located at 24247 Village Circle, this brand-new play area features an inclusive playground with elements that will help parkgoers further develop their cognitive, physical, social and sensory skills. In addition to the playground structures, this project includes an outdoor fitness area and a Bankshot Play court, which offers 13 basketball stations with various heights and angled backboards to create new challenges.

As we reflect on 2022 and what has been accomplished, we also keep an eye toward 2023 and all that is on the horizon. Please enjoy your time with loved ones at this most joyous time of year.

Happy holidays, Santa Clarita!

Ken Striplin can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.com. The views expressed in his column are those of the City and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal. 