This has been an amazing week for Ojai.
Last Tuesday City Council made a difficult decision to delay the award of a contract for another week. Although this was a disappointment to the Save Libbey Bowl Committee, the delay allowed better information and analysis to be shared and resulted in greater communication between the City and Campaign.
Then came Saturday—one of the most memorable community moments in Ojai’s History. Well over 1,000 people gathered together in Libbey Bowl to say goodbye to the old bowl and to celebrate the rebirth of a new facility. A big THANK YOU needs to be given to Kate and Barney Barnhart and their amazing committee for organizing the event, to the merchants who donated food and liquor, and the artists who created works for sale. The community spirit was truly inspiring.
The momentum continued on Tuesday, as the City Council unanimously voted to move ahead with the project by awarding a contract bid to McGillivray Construction.
We thank our City Council members for all their hard work and for taking their fiduciary responsibilities so seriously. The Council has made an important decision that will have a lasting positive effect on Ojai and our community proudly stands behind them in this decision.
Most importantly, we thank you, the community, for stepping forward to “Save Libbey Bowl.” The campaign owes it success to the more than 700 donors, 200 volunteers, 35 neighborhood parties, dozens of special activities, support from local businesses and organizations like Rotary and the Ojai Valley Museum, over 25 local in-store events and the efforts of new coalitions like Bakers for the Bowl. The Ojai Valley News was invaluable in helping us get our story out to the community. Together, we created the most powerful force for good to blow through the Ojai Valley in many years.
And the fun (and fundraising) continues. An additional $500,000 is needed to add dressing rooms, of which $200,000 is in hand. Our next event organized by the Ojai Valley Museum happens this Sunday. More neighborhood parties are scheduled into the fall so the camaraderie that the Bowl project has created will continue until there is a brand new facility for us all.
Libbey Bowl is truly the heart and soul of our town. We look forward to our new Bowl and all the possibilities it holds for our community. For sure, it will be the economic driver and improve city services. Most importantly, the Bowl will remain Ojai’s cultural icon and community gathering place for years to come.
