March 26 Bilingual Westside Community Watershed Forum
Next week, on March 26, 2014, a special community forum will be held to bring information about watershed planning and improvements to Spanish speakers on Ventura’s Westside, and to gather their ideas and input.
The event, called “Exploring Your Backyard: Healthy Water, Healthy Communities,” will be held from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Avenue, in Ventura. The meeting, which was organized by Watershed Council staff, will be presented in both English and Spanish. Childcare and children’s activities will be provided.
Topics will include an overview of the watershed, where local water comes from, the watershed planning process, the drought, and access to the Ventura River near Ventura’s Westside.
Sam Jenniches, of the California Coastal Conservancy, will present on the importance of river parkways to surrounding communities. Representatives from Friends of Ventura River and Ventura Hillsides Conservancy will share about local opportunities to enjoy nature. The new Spanish language version of the Ventura River Parkway map will be unveiled. And special guests from the community will talk about their connections with the Ventura River and how they are helping to build a healthy watershed.
This is an opportunity for families to learn about initiatives that are underway for building a healthier watershed, and to voice opinions on local needs and ways to work together to improve it.
The target audience for this event is Spanish speakers. Please help us get the word out by forwarding this email or the event flyer (in English) (en Espanol) to others who may be interested.
Special thanks to CAUSE (Coastal Alliance for a Sustainable Economy) for help with event planning and outreach; Antonio Jimenez, Riitta Andonian, and students at the Center for Community Engagement at California State Channel Islands for translation of written materials; and to Bell Arts Factory for hosting the event.
For more information call Lauren Cole at 805/649-6852 x5.