AROUND THE CORNER -- Creating a safe haven

Angelique Flores

* EDITOR’S NOTE: AROUND THE CORNER is an occasional feature that profiles

communities in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Sunset Beach.

It’s a place where people not only know their neighbors, but they also

know their neighbor’s goldfish.

The residents of the Century Park and Summerfield tracts, tucked between

Ellis Avenue and Bushard Street in Fountain Valley, have created a sense

of camaraderie over the years.

A neighborhood mom spent a year getting new playground equipment for the

nearby Cordata Park. The man who dressed as Santa Claus for Christmas

worked to put reflectors on Date Street and Shrike Avenue so cars can

make safer turns. Neighborhood girls set up a face-painting booth for

other children.

And since Labor Day, a group of women have been bringing the neighbors

together over potlucks at Cordata Park.

“We’re creating a safer place,” said Sherry Steele, who spearheaded the

first potluck. “It’s an extra set of eyes on our kids.”

Since last year’s get-to-know-your-neighbor picnic, safety has increased

and friendships among the homes have blossomed.

“We know each other. We know if someone’s loved one passes away or if

someone’s goldfish is sick,” said Cheri Vinikow, who has been living on

Schelin Circle for nine years.

They know the dad with a pool table where the older children play, and

the other dad who builds model trains in his garage. Of course, there’s

also the lady who makes the candy packs for children every Halloween.

“I can drive down the street and wave at my neighbors,” said Steele, who

has been living on Warbler Street for two years.

The two tracts have about 300 homes between them. Some residents have

been there two weeks, others for 25 years. Most are young parents with

children who attend Moiola School, but some are grandparents who are

finished raising their children. They have different religious

backgrounds, from Jewish to Buddhist.

“Everyone’s embraced here,” Vinikow said. “You may not know names, but

you know who belongs in the neighborhood.”

Vinikow has a spot on her ivy-covered wall that has been worn down. The

ivy disappeared after years of leaning over to talk with her neighbor.

Recently, the residents rededicated Cordata Park after Vinikow worked

with the city to install new playground equipment.

“It brought people together and brought out the spirit of the community,”

Vinikow said.

Though the residents here are all concerned and involved in their

families, they want to make the community part of their families, said

Cynthia Rogers, a Siskin Avenue resident of two years. And that’s just

what they’ve done.

For Halloween, the neighborhood parents planned a costume parade at

Cordata Park. For Christmas, they held a house-decorating contest and

assembled for caroling, cocoa and cookies. This past New Year’s Eve,

neighbors on Vinikow’s block hosted a progressive dinner party, in which

different homes hosted different parts of the meal.

“The potlucks have just mushroomed,” Rogers said.

The next one is planned for the Fourth of July.

“Everyone brings forward their best, it’s not just an afterthought,”

Vinikow said.

Moms walk door to door to pass out fliers for each event. Dads set up and

care for the children while the moms are busy.

The core group of five women who plan the potlucks have extended their

get-togethers to morning tea and coffee every month after dropping their

children off at school. Some do crafts together. Some garden together. In

the evenings, several go on walks after putting the little ones to bed.

They baby-sitfor each other’s children.

“I walk next door and borrow a cup of sugar if I need to,” Steele said.

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