In Full Swing!
By Jamaal Jackson, President of Mission Hills BID Assistant Vice President Branch Manager US BANK Mission Hills
The Mission Hills Business Improvement District (BID) is looking forward to our neighborhood happenings in July, from patriotic to fun food-filled observances and a citywide Pride celebration. Many celebrate our nation’s independence with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 at the Mission Hills Town Council’s 4th of July morning parade, pie contest and afternoon concert. How about viewing evening fireworks from patio seating at Communion, on the eighth floor of The Sasan building or another stellar Mission Hills vantage point? Bastille Day on July 14 brings forth the Francophile in us so be on the look-out for French-inspired offerings at our restaurants. San Diego is unique in its July celebration of Pride, this year from July 16 to 20. Please remember Mission Hills and our businesses as you plan your San Diego Pride celebrations. Our businesses recognize and welcome San Diego’s LGBTQIA+ communities, diverse cultural identities and experiences. National Ice Cream Day on July 20, National Hot Dog Day on July 23 and National Cheesecake Day on July 30 are easy to celebrate at Gelato Vero, Wild Child, and enjoying Lefty’s superb hot dog. With the arrival of July, summer is in full swing.
Since ice cream is enjoyed by 90 percent of people in the United States, I decided to delve into National Ice Cream Day. Did you know that Americans lead the world when it comes to individual consumption of 23 gallons of ice cream a year? Interestingly, national surveys show favorite flavors differ by age groups; Mint Chocolate Chip is number one for 14 to 17 year olds, 18 to 24 year olds picked Cookies & Cream as their top choice, the 25 to 34 age group preferred Cookie Dough, and 35 to 44 year olds chose Chocolate as their top pick, while Chocolate also topped the list for those 45 and older. My favorite ice cream flavor isCookie Dough, with extra cookie dough. Please don’t judge.
A priority for the Mission Hills BID is supporting public art to promote the area and elevate its design appeal. Since 2019, through a project we named Colors on Canvas, our canvases have included seventy to eighty 30 x 94 inch children’s hand painted art banners featuring our businesses. Now we have added utility boxes as canvases.
During the month of July, the Mission Hills BID will continue its Colors on Canvas Birds of Mission Hills Wayfinding Art Box Project on Saturday July 19 and Sunday July 20, thanks to Sloane Wormser, owner of Salon Sloane in Mission Hills, who generously donated full-funding to secure artist Becca Dwyer to transform three utility boxes on the 4000 block of Hawk Street, with Hawks on Hawk Street. Dwyer’s background in art and marketing, along with a Master of Arts in Museum Studies, influence meaningful connections through art.
For a close-up of what to anticipate, please visit the trio of utility boxes on the west side of Goldfinch Street near Fort Stockton Drive, painted the weekend of May 30 through June 2, featuring familiar yellow Goldfinch birds. Speaking on the inspiration for the Goldfinch art, the artist, Becca Dwyer shared: “For these utility boxes on Goldfinch Street, I wanted to create a calming color palette to allow the yellow goldfinches to pop. I also wanted to surround the goldfinches with plants from their natural habitat including sunflowers, thistles, dandelions, and small leaves. These lively songbirds are one of the strictest vegetarians in the bird world and their colors can vary greatly throughout the different stages of their life.”
The Birds of Mission Hills Wayfinding Art Box Project began more than two years ago. Since at least twelve Mission Hills streets are in alphabetical order by bird names, we thought we’d give utility boxes an artistic refresh utilizing our birds to guide pedestrian visitors and locals through the neighborhood using wayfinding tools. Through the Mission Hills Parking Advisory Committee we identified utility boxes. We sought and gained approval from SDG&E. We developed and issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) from artists. We received and reviewed numerous proposals and art renderings.
And, then we learned the funding we’d been assured was no longer available for our project.
The Mission Hills Parking Advisory Committee regrouped and decided to move forward with funding support from the Mission Hills BID and future funding from private and public sources. To promote The Birds of Mission Hills Wayfinding Art Box Project we engaged one of the artists who responded to the original RFP, Becca Dwyer, to create Goldfinches on Goldfinch Street.
A short video to share with potential funders is in the works. If you are interested in learning more about the project, please contact us at MissionHillsBID@gmail.com. The Mission Hills BID is seeking sponsors to support artists refreshing utility boxes with Colors on Canvas Birds of Mission Hills Wayfinding Art Box Project art. Painting will continue as additional donations are secured. Won’t you please help us by making a donation at MissionHillsBID.com/ColorsonCanvas?
There are many different ways to learn more about the Mission Hills BID, its meetings and activities, including our website: MissionHillsBID.com, Facebook: MissionHillsBID, Instagram: @MissionHillsSD; X: MissionHillsSD; and Threads: MissionHillsSD. If you love our Mission Hills business neighborhood and have ideas and time to help promote it, the Mission Hills BID needs you. Please contact us at MissionHillsBID@gmail.com.
Category: Art, Business, Donations, Local News, Nonprofit
