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Politics & Government

Grossmont Center Plans Aerial Centennial Photo: Human '100 YEARS'

Centennial Committee also hears plans for a geocaching challenge during La Mesa's milestone.

Discussion of the highly anticipated Legacy Project took a back seat to more timely issues at Monday’s meeting of the Centennial Committee planning La Mesa’s 100th anniversary.

Instead, talk focused more on a human “100 Years” to be staged atop Grossmont Center’s parking structure in February.

“I did secure a photographer today who can do the aerial shot and all the coordination from the aerial view,” said Tracie Plefka, the mall’s marketing director. “We can have a lot of fun with this.”

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The project will cost $6,000—half underwritten by Grossmont Center—and includes a promotional package with KSON’s morning radio personalities. A Feb. 18 date has been set for the photo shoot—two days after the actual centennial of cityhood—though the number of people needed and what to wear have yet to be determined.

Plefka suggested finding a sponsor to provide red and blue T-shirts or adding the color digitally after the fact.

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“If for some reason we don’t have enough people who show up, we could put people where we need them,” she said, eliciting laughter inside a meeting room of the Allison Avenue fire station. “But I’m pretty sure we’ll have enough.”

Discussion also lingered on what type of commemorative items the La Mesa Historical Society should sell throughout the year.

Items like hats, T-shirts, magnets and pens were among some suggested by historian Jim Newland, as well as wine glasses with decals sold in partnership with a local winery. Ceramic, hand-thrown mugs displaying the city’s centennial logo was another possibility offered by Carol Lockwood of La Mesa Arts Alliance.

For the adventurous, the committee announced a geocaching event. An activity popular worldwide, the “high-tech treasure hunt” requires a GPS or other navigational aid to find boxes hidden throughout the city.

Participants in this local game would have from June to the last day of Oktoberfest to complete the free challenge.

“This is a fun, family-oriented event,” said one of the organizers. “It’s to drive people to different areas in La Mesa … and learn a little about La Mesa’s history. It’s not a fundraising event or anything like that.”

In an effort to celebrate all things centenarian, La Mesa’s Commission on Aging has worked to identify several residents in that age range.

But despite having the interview forms in hand, the commission’s Bob Vendeland says the process has been halted due to legality concerns involving the age and potential vulnerability of those interviewed.

He added: “The form that [Jim Newland] sent is perfectly adequate; I’m just trying to get that approved.”

Before the close of the meeting, Assistant City Manager Yvonne Garret spoke briefly on the topic of the Legacy Project, telling the committee simply that an update on the public art downtown would be available soon.

Originally, the plan was to have the finalists and site selected by November, but the subcommittee is still interviewing qualifying bidders.

“[S]o we’re a little bit ,” Garrett said after the meeting. “The committee is very concerned about making sure that there’s a right fit in terms of the artist that we select, so the original timeline was probably more aggressive than what we were able to do.”

Despite the delay, Garrett says she believes the artists chosen will still have plenty of time to complete the estimated $125,000 sculpture in time for the 2013 unveiling.

About 30 volunteers, residents and community figures attended Monday’s meeting. The committee will meet again Jan. 23. Click here for an archive of La Mesa Centennial stories, also found under our News navigation button.

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