Ribbon Cut At New Marina Building & Yacht Club Promenade

Mayor Casey Tanaka giving his dedication speech at the event

If downtown Coronado seemed empty yesterday, it was because everyone was at the Ribbon Cutting for the new Marina Building and Yacht Club Promenade. Mayor Casey Tanaka introduced the attending Council Members and honored guests and thanked all those who participated in this project.

He explained that the City Hall and Community Center were both completed in 2005. The Glorietta Bay Promenade was the last piece of the puzzle. The amazing and historic public artwork was created for the community to enjoy.

Artist Todd Stands poses with three lovely ladies

Todd Stands was the creative artist who put together “Imagine: Tent City” at the Promenade. If his name sounds familiar to you, Mr. Stands created the beautiful murals that adorn the walls inside City Hall.  Peter Fait was recognized as the "idea man" behind using the photographic tile that composed the mural. The images are actually in the glaze of the tile.

The metal sculpture, in the Glorietta Bay Promenade Pocket Park farther north of this area, is titled "Freedom."  It was created by the talented Jon Koehler.

Mayor Tanaka finished his speech and invited all the City Council Members, both present and past, to join him in the ribbon cutting. 

Pictured left to right: Former Council Member Phil Monroe, Artist Jon Koehler, Artist Todd Stands, Mayor Casey Tanaka, Council Member Barbara Denny, Council Member Carrie Downey, Former Mayor Tom Smisek and Council Member Mike Woiwode.

And then there was cake and cookies and all those lovely murals to fall in love with all over again!

Mural view from the new Marina Building stairs

Commissioner Doug St. Denis (on the left) enjoys the murals and a discussion

Tent City Band

The murals are situated so to show you what you would have seen—in days long ago—when looking in that direction. This is the view to the south.

Here is the view looking north.

Yet another view, and there are many more!

I cannot begin to capture it all in photos and have only given you a small taste. This work-of-art is a must-see and best done in person. And there's one other intriguing fact. The artist has placed within the images two modern-day photos, one a cameo of Mr. Stands himself. I know where they are, but you'll have to go find them yourself. It will be a real "Where's Waldo" adventure!

Comments

[anonymous]

The unknown person in the ribbon-cutting picture is the sculpture artist Jon Koehler.

[Susan Heavilin]

Thank you very much! I'll go make the change right now to the article.

[Casey Tanaka]

The pictures you took of this event were gorgeous! Thank you :-)

[annie]

This tiles are bea-u-ti-ful! What a wonderful way to capture history!

[Dan]

Mr. Stands is a longtime California artist, who also happens to teach photography at Southwestern College. He has been a great volunteer and artist for many arts projects in our region, on both sides of the border. While too modest to say it, these photo-tiles are a real triumph of his aesthetic, historical research, and a willingness to engage the public in what is a major arts coup for Coronado. I hope he will give at least one lecture about his process, soon.

Congratulations, Mr. Stands, and congratulations, Coronado!

[In the Click]

Wow, what a gathering of all the politically correct. You wouldn't know there is a depression going on or a worry about lack of funds to operate our city. Strange where these priorities are. We can't afford another ambulance which we sorely need for health and safety but we have money for everything else, like million dollar projects,
the beach tower and maintenance building, the Rotary Park (Plaza?),
the Round About on Pomona, and all the fancy stuff on Glorietta. You know we have to make it nice for all those visiting tourists,
especially those at the ever expanding Hotel Del. But that's progress and you wouldn't want to object to progress.

[Doreen]

Great Pictures, thanks for sharing. [Edited to remove personal attack(s)]