City Heights was likewise changed forever when eight city blocks along 40th Street- people’s homes and businesses–were scoured from the face of the earth in the early 1990’s to make way for the last connecting link of I-15, which extends from Canada to Mexico. City Heights would become a scorched earth community divided by an enormous ditch in keeping with Caltrans signature construction style.
Resistance was spearheaded by the City Heights Community Development Corporation (CHCDC), whose leadership recognized the grim impacts of the construction upon a fragile and fragmented social structure in the poor, ethnically diverse and densely populated community of City Heights. Like Barrio Logan, City Heights was also lacking in public infrastructure investments–most notably parks, schools, libraries, street lights and transit options.
Two decades have passed since that great notion– the Visions Project–was undertaken. At the beginning, a portion of the land was reclaimed and a vibrant community garden flourished for five years on the scraped earth. The garden was surrounded with bright and whimsical artwork that gave expression to hundreds of local school kids, artists and residents.
A very public acknowledgement is in order however to City Heights resident Maria Cortez for her extraordinary commitment to the Centerline over the long haul. Maria has stood numerous times on the University Avenue transit plaza informing residents of crucial developments that required their support and attendance. She has been present at SANDAG and MTS meetings, providing public testimony on behalf of the transit dependent. Maria is the face of our resiliency and hope. A portrait of our community hero is emblazoned on a street banner a few blocks from my home.
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