Page 35 - Sonoma County Gazette Janaury 2019

“Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.” The Dalai Lama
I always look forward to the friendly, generous, and talented locals I meet. A mix of people I enjoy work out in the Silver Sneakers class at 24-Hour Fitness (Rohnert Park). One day about seven years ago, I got dragged into a Sneakers class by my friend, Jahna. The teacher at that time proved knowledgeable
A New Major Downtown Hub
for the City of Rohnert Park and its Residents
Bright People Make the Bright Side of Cotati
on fitness beyond the average fitness instructor. She helped me return to a higher level of activity, while avoiding re-injury of my knees and feet. As I began growing in strength, I took a few private trainer lessons and worked out more. Soon, I went back to hiking and bike riding. Now we have another teacher, Amy Davis, who is certified in Pilates instruction. Someone talked her into teaching senior fitness. All to our group’s benefit, she became trained and certified with Silver Sneakers program. Amy has improved our balance, flexibility, coordination, and our use of proper body mechanics. So, big shout out to Amy Davis, Judy, Sandy, Linda, Susan, Anita, Lillian, David, both of our Johns, Stella, Nancy, and Donna.
The project has 140,000 square feet of retail, 130,000 square feet of office, 460 residential units and a 156 unit hotel. Independent restaurants will face the main avenue containing a curb-less plaza which will point to a portico with access to SMART. Offices will fill the second floor of four main buildings, all looking down on the main street and the plaza. The goal is for outdoor dining opportunities plus an active pedestrian oriented street environment along the main corridor.
3 Bands to Dance to at the Redwood Café
There will be slip street coming off the Expressway which leads to an enclosed 3 story parking garage. The project will include Class 1 and Class
2 bicycle parking, on-site bike share programs, car share programs and designated pick up and drop off locations for ride share services as well as a shuttle from SMART to regional destinations.
Rivertown Skifflers, January 6th, no cover charge @ 7-9 pm. Formed in
2015, the Rivertown Skifflers are a jug band in the wild North American folk tradition of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, the Even Dozen Jug Band, and String band. They’ve been described as “Dance Americana,” and play mostly up- tempo, happy songs from the early 20th century featuring washboard, kazoo, fiddle, banjo, guitar, ukulele, and of course, jug. Redwood Café has a small dance floor.
Each month there will be an event, such as car shows, art shows, cooking demonstrations in the pavilions, and potential ice skating rink in the winter.
Dancing to Petty Rocks, January 10th: Authentic renditions of Tom
Petty’s extensive catalog of songs, including hits, and deeper cuts from the Heartbreakers, as well as the Traveling Wilburys. These local, accomplished and seasoned musicians enjoy performing well-crafted songs while remaining true to the exuberance of the original versions. $10 cover charge, from 8-10:30 pm. Redwood Café.
It allows us all to meander through the shops, grab a coffee or lunch with someone, listen to a band or watch our children ice skate all in downtown RP. It gives RP a new heart, a seat of emotion that we can share with others we care for and about.
Irish Set Dancing, Jan 14 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Join in some Irish social dance done in homes, at weddings, and social events. Sets are danced by four couples in a square. Figures or the parts of the set are danced to jigs, reels, hornpipes, slides, and polkas. Come enjoy a lively class. No partners necessary. Beginners welcome. No cover.
The developer will begin demolition on the former office building sometime next month and the desire is to have the main part of the downtown open by September of 2020 with most residential units completed by 2021.
After-Hours Networking Mixer, Education Foundation of Cotati
& Rohnert Park
Free to attend and open to all. Take time to chat with the Cotati Chamber of Commerce and the Rohnert Park Chamber too. Complimentary appetizers and No Host Bar with entertainment by the Rotten Tomatoes. Raffle
Prizes. Wednesday, January 23, 5:30-7:00PM hosted at Sally Tomatoes, 1100 Valley House Drive, R.P.
Winter Wonderland, Cotati Person of the Year Awards Dinner,
Cotati 2019 Annual Awards Dinner from 6-9 PM in the Cotati Room. Tickets are $30 each.
In 2016 we dared to bring our dream to a reality by adopting the Central Rohnert Park Priority Development Area Plan. We wanted our citizens involved and asked them to attend community meetings and charrettes, take surveys to tell us what they wanted in their downtown. The community dared to dream with us. We developed a plan that addressed the overall desires
January 26
The Rohnert Park Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to Rohnert Park/ Petaluma Health Center to expand their school-based dental program in the Cotati-Rohnert Park School District.
Catered by Sally Tomatoes. Entertainment, photos and music. Contact the Chamber to purchase tickets 707-795-5508
An in-school program was started in Petaluma when the school realized that their students were suffering from preventable dental disease and cavities. After a few years of an educational program and preventive care during school hours, the improvement in dental health of students dramatically improved with only about four children needing dental surgery in a year’s time.
Shout Out to Cotati Police Department
December 1, 2018, Friday evening, Cotati Police Department hosted their first “Cookies & Cocoa with a Cop”. This free event for children started casual conversations with Cotati Police. Wish I had been a fly on the wall to hear the children’s questions.
Reach over 4,000 businesses and residents. The City of Cotati Community Guide and Chamber Directory is being re-vamped, and they are offering Cotati Chamber members a 10% discount on all advertising sizes. Please contact Liz at the Cotati Chamber office. Office: 707-795-5508
With this record of success, the Foundation believes they can improve the dental health of students in our district with consistent in dental hygiene education and screenings for students.
Want to Reach More Customers in 2019?
Gina Belforte is currently a council member on the Rohnert Park City Council. She is serving her third city council term and was first elected to the Rohnert Park City Council in 2008. Gina currently serves on the Economic Development Committee, the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, on the Water Committee and is a Rohnert Park Foundation board member.
Cell: 707-536-6789 or email chamber@cotati.org
The former State Farm Insurance site, at the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and State Farm Drive, will soon become a major downtown hub for the city of Rohnert Park and its residents.
The most exciting prospect of this development is the ability for our community members to have a downtown destination they can go to create lasting memories with family and friends. We have beautiful parks and places to go eat but this project brings a new dimension to Rohnert Park.
For many decades we have been dreaming about a downtown for Rohnert Park and even had community meetings in 1998 to brainstorm how to bring one to fruition.
and now are full steam ahead for the development of a new major center for Rohnert Park.
This has truly been a community, private and public partnership.
GOOD NEWS for the NEW YEAR
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