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Is it time to find your fur-ever friend?

July 22, 2021 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

Those that know my family know that we LOVE animals. Especially dogs. We’re dog people. Our three dogs think they’re people too, and freak out when their monthly Bark Box arrives like we do when we get a package. It’s fun for all of us, really. Our dogs make our lives better. That said, they’re also a lot of work, their care can get costly at times, and the occasional death of a throw pillow or edge of a piece of furniture can get aggravating – but we have accepted that through the good times and the not-so-good, our dogs are a part of our family.

What’s tough right now though, is that unfortunately, that isn’t the case for all the dogs, cats, and other domesticated creatures out there. While adoption rates soared during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (so much so that numerous shelters across the country were actually left empty for the first time with NO adoptable animals!), the reverse is, unfortunately, taking place now. Calls to shelters from people who’ve adopted pets, but no longer feel they are able to keep them have more than doubled in the last two months. Many adopters are returning to regular workplaces, finding they have less time for training as their calendars begin to refill with social engagements and travel, or are needing to make significant life changes and moves due to the effects of the pandemic. Sadly, this means many pets who thought they’d seen the last of shelter walls will be returning.

Here’s where we can come together and help as a community! The Fresno area has a number of great places from which you can adopt a furry friend – and even if you can’t adopt, there are numerous simple and practical ways you can support these organization’s efforts.

Check out this great list of local adoption centers, along with key details to know about each and every way you can support them and their animals. You can click on the links to go directly to any of these organization’s websites for additional information as well.

ARF – Animal Rescue of Fresno (Dogs)

Location: 4545 E Dakota Ave, Fresno, CA 93726 (Near Cedar & Dakota)
Offerings: Adoption center & shelter for dogs
Online adoptables listing: Yes
Adoption application online: Yes
Ways to volunteer: Socializing and caring for the dogs. With over 50 pups in the shelter as most times, ARF is always happy to have extra help.
Ways to support: Purchasing items from their Chewy.com or Amazon wish lists, or setting ARF as your Amazon Smile charity of choice

Valley Animal Center

Location: 3934 N Hayston Ave, Fresno, CA 93726 (Near Cedar & Dakota, behind ARF)
Offerings: Adoption center, mobile adoptions, low-cost veterinary clinic, shelter that can house up to 500 dogs and cats, membership based dog park with water features and camps for kids
Online adoptables listing: Yes
Adoption application online: Yes
Ways to volunteer: a wide range of volunteer opportunities from helping with administrative, marketing and grounds keeping tasks to socializing, cleaning and reading to the animals
Ways to support: individual shelter pet sponsorships , monthly giving, wish list fulfillment, and more.

Animal Compassion Team

Location: 2789 S Orange Ave, Fresno, CA 93725 (Orange Ave & Golden State)
Offerings: Adoption & education center, shelter for many pets that would otherwise have nowhere to go based upon their rural locations and lack of shelter system access
Online adoptables listing: Yes
Adoption application online: Yes
Ways to volunteer: foster a pet (provide temporary housing, care, socialization and training while they await permanent adoption), help build shy dog’s confidence on Wednesday nights with the Wallflower Group, help exercise playful pups with the Dogs Playing for Life group, take dogs on a 2-mile Boss Walk, be a cat cuddler, and adoption event helper and much more. Additional info here. (Note: some/all volunteer opportunities subject to availability during the COVID-19 pandemic)
Ways to support: Financial support, which can be provided easily online here.

Fresno Humane Services

Location: 760 W Nielsen Ave, Fresno, CA 93706 (Major cross streets are Whitesbridge and Marks)
Offerings: Shelter, education and adoption center, low-cost spay and neuter, vaccinations and microchipping, holding place for found pets
Online adoptables listing: Yes
Adoption application online: Yes
Ways to volunteer: Join their cleaning crew, behavior team (provide enrichment and training to animals), adoption counselor crew, assist with community outreach, administrative tasks and rescue pet transporting, foster an animal
Ways to support: Financial support, purchase apparel and merchandise, fulfil wish list needs

Central California SPCA

Location: 103 S Hughes Ave, Fresno, CA 93706 (Near Hughes and 180)
Offerings: Shelter, education and adoption center, low-cost spay and neuter, vaccinations, dog licensing and microchipping, holding place for found pets, dog training, gift shop, investigations into animal cruelty reports/cases – adoptables include dogs, cats, barnyard, exotic, and small and furry animals
Online adoptables listing: Yes
Adoption application online: Yes
Ways to volunteer: Wide variety of volunteer opportunities from ages 8 to 100. $15 volunteer fee provides a volunteer t-shirt and basic volunteer supplies. Volunteers must commit to 36 hours of service within a 6 month period. Those under 17 will be volunteering in ways other than handling animals. Youth volunteer programs require permission from parents, however, parents do not need to remain on the premises during volunteering.
Ways to support: Financial support, vehicle donation, animal medical bill sponsorship, wish list fulfillment, shopping through Chewy or Amazon and choosing the Central CA SPCA as your beneficiary

Miss Winkles Pet Adoption Center (Clovis)

Location: 85 N Temperance Ave, Clovis, CA 93611 (Near Temperance and Sierra)
Offerings: State-of-the-art adoption center and shelter for up to 150 animals
Online adoptables listing: Yes
Adoption application online: Yes
Ways to volunteer: Various ways to volunteer – volunteerism begins with an application and interview, followed by placement. Foster families also needed.
Ways to support: Wide variety of ways to support the shelter’s work financially, as well as wish list fulfillment and gift card donation.

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Old Fig Garden – One of the Most Sought After Neighborhoods in Fresno

July 22, 2021 by Jules Miller Leave a Comment

According to Wikipedia, Fig Garden is now known as “Old Fig Garden” highlighting its historic background when it contained vast fig gardens. Yet, many locals prefer to call it “Fig Garden”. It is a very popular charming neighborhood with beautiful historic homes on tree-lined streets. Click here to see all the homes we currently have listed in Fig Garden.

Location

Located in central Fresno Fig Garden is an unincorporated community consisting of six square miles surrounded by the City of Fresno. It is situated between Blackstone Avenue on the east, Shaw Avenue on the north, Fruit Avenue on the west, and Shields Avenue on the south.

Over the years, this neighborhood has also included north of Shaw Avenue, where charming historic homes surround Bullard High School and where the Fig Garden Village shopping center sits.

Neighborhood Demographics

The 2010 U.S. Census reported the Fig Garden neighborhood with a population of 5,364 where 99.5% lived in households. In 2019, the Next Door (the world’s largest social network neighborhood channel) site estimates the population at 8,424 residents.

The Livability (provides resources to discover the best places to live in the U.S.) website estimates the median income in Old Fig Garden at $71,239.

Fig Garden Real Estate Facts

One of the oldest and unique neighborhoods in Fresno, Fig Garden offers several large estates with some homes taking up 1 acre. It is known for its well-landscaped homes and large trees.

The Fig Garden neighborhood contains some of Fresno’s most expensive homes with some selling for over $1 million.

Back in 2007, the Fresno Bee newspaper published an article about Old Fig Garden. The title “Taste of Old Fig” reflected its charm and diverse styles of homes. Five historic home tours showcased the 1920’s to 1948 classic and ranch-style homes.

In 2019, Trip Advisor pointed out that the “Old Fig Garden” neighborhood instituted a set of Beautification Ordinances to help them preserve their trees and enforce what they call “minimum urban standards.” Source

Fig Garden Real Estate Market Trends 2021

According to the Best Places site:

The Old Fig Garden housing market in 2021 offers a good time to buy a home. Home appreciation increased by 6.9% over the past 12 months.

Best Places also reveals that the neighbors love its:

Peacefulness;

Charm and beauty;

Walkability;

Dog friendliness; and

Mature trees.

Things to Do

The Fig Garden Homeowners Association with a membership of over 2,000 families’ website contains news and upcoming events. They sponsor the annual Christmas Tree Lane celebration of lights.

The Christmas Tree Lane website describes this popular annual event as going back nearly 100 years. Fig Garden’s North Van Ness Boulevard shows off a one-way street lined with homes and hundreds of trees all decked out for the holidays.

Fig Garden Village, a Fresno retail icon for over 50 years. Featuring 63 retail outlets ranging from the Banana Republic to Williams-Sonoma. Also, hosts various community events. Located at: 790 W. Shaw Ave.

Save Mart Center a 430,000 square foot multi-purpose arena offering concerts, sports, and many other types of events. Located at: 2650 E. Shaw Avenue near the California State University Fresno campus.

Fig Garden Swim & Racquet Club where neighborhood residents and their children join this private, members-owned club. It offers tennis courts, swimming, racquet courts, a good café, and many social activities.

Fig Garden Restaurants

According to Yelp, the best Old Fig Garden Fresno restaurants include:

Jacks Urban Eats – Fresno earned 3.5 Stars from 410 reviews. Specializing in home-cooked traditional American foods.

La Boulangerie rated 4 Stars from 451 reviews. French-style patisserie bakery with a large variety of baked goods.

The Patio Cafe got 3 Stars from 305 reviews. Traditional cafe offering breakfasts and brunch.

Pieology Pizzeria received 4 Stars from 250 reviews. Many reviewers liked their Vegan pizzas.

The Lime Lite got 4.5 Stars from 281 reviews. New American style foods offering NY steaks cooked to perfection.

Wayside Noodles rated 3 Stars from 291 reviews. Offering Vietnamese cuisine.

Schools in the area

The Fig Garden neighborhood comes under the jurisdiction of the Fresno Unified Schools District, the fourth largest school district in California.

Most kindergarten through 8th grade students attend either the Fort Meer Middle School, Tenaya Middle School, or Wawona Middle School.

Several highly rated schools exist in the nearby vicinity. Ratings provided by the Great Schools Organization site.

The Best Elementary Schools

Bullard Talent Project School, a public grades K-8 school. Parents rate this school 4 Stars (out of 5).

Powers-Ginsburg Elementary School, a public grades K-6 school. Parents rate this school 4 Stars.

Del Mar Elementary School, a public grades K-6 school. Parents rated this school 4 Stars.

The Best Middle School

Bullard Talent Project School (see ratings above).

High Schools

Bullard High School established in 1955 with over 2,800 students in grades 9-12. Provides education for a diverse ethnic student body.

Fresno High School, a beautiful renovated historic school.

Get more information on all the Fresno schools. Here

Conclusion

This Fig Garden Fresno real estate overview features a popular historic neighborhood with beautiful charming homes from the 1920s and mature tree-lined streets.

Plenty of excellent shopping is available at the local Fig Garden Village shopping center. The nearby Save Mart Center provides year-round concerts, live performances, and various events inside its huge auditorium.

The annual Christmas Tree Lane event attracts many visitors who enjoy the holiday lights featuring hundreds of trees and homes all decked out.

The local private tennis, racquet, and swim club for the neighborhood offers plenty of activities for its members.

Originally written by Steven Rich, MBA – Guest Blogger

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Where to Swim & Cool Off in Fresno 2021

July 16, 2021 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

Looking where to Swim & Cool Off in Fresno 2021? Toasty summers are a fact of life for Fresnans, but thankfully you don’t have to dig your own pool to find a great place to cool off. The Fresno area offers multiple public swim locations, swimming lessons, water parks, and splash parks for families to enjoy, and even a couple of areas for dogs to cool off, too!

Here’s the 2021 round-up of local spots to get your splash on!

Municipal Public Pools

Entrance fee is $2 for adults, $1 for children

Mosqueda Pool
4670 E. Butler (Maple & Butler)
Monday through Sunday
1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Frank H. Ball Pool
760 Mayor St. (Ventura & A St)
Monday through Sunday
1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Mary Ella Brown Pool
1350 E. Annadale (Elm & Annadale)
Monday through Sunday
1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Low-Cost Swim Lessons: The City of Fresno will be providing swim lessons this year at five different community pool locations. There will be morning and evening classes offered, and lessons run for 50 minutes daily for one week. The cost is $50 per learner. For complete details on locations, swim levels and ages, and how to register, click here.

High School Aquatic Complexes (FREE)

Edison High School 540 E. California Ave., Fresno, CA 93706 (California & Walnut)
June 26 thru August 8 Weekends – 12 – 5 p.m.

Roosevelt High School 4250 E. Tulare Ave, Fresno, CA 9370 (Tulare & Cedar)
June 26 thru August 8 Weekends – 12 – 5 p.m.

Splash Parks

These splash parks are fixtures of larger city parks in the Fresno area. Amenities include interactive water features, misters, and cascades providing refreshing water play for children at no cost. Water features typically operate between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. from mid-May through October.

Dickey Playground
50 N. Calaveras Street (Maintenance Day is Tuesday)

Figarden Loop Park
4265 W. Figarden Drive (Maintenance Day is Thursday)

Todd Beamer Park
9797 N. Maple Ave. (Maintenance Day is Wednesday)

Martin Ray Reilly Park
750 N. Chestnut Ave. (Maintenance Day is Friday)

Inspiration Park
5770 W. Gettysburg Ave. (Maintenance Day is Wednesday)

Vinland Park

4695 E. Gettysburg (Maintenance Day Thursday).

Splash Parks for Dogs

Dr. James W. Thornton Dog Park
3934 N. Hayston
$50 annual membership fee, and dogs must have up-to-date vaccines
Park includes a 2,000-gallon canine wading pool with jets!

Basin AH1 Dog Park
4257 W. Alamos
Shady, grassy, free dog park that features four wading pools for dogs to enjoy during hot weather.

Water Parks

The Island Waterpark

Ideal for those living closer to the West side of Fresno, The Island Waterpark offers 11 water slides, children’s water play park and lazy river and abundant picnic areas. The park opens Memorial Day weekend each year and is open during weekdays when schools are out for the summer. Tickets are $32,99 for adults and $23.99 for children under 48″ tall. Of note: the wave pool is currently closed for repairs.

Wild Water Adventures

For those living more Eastward or in Clovis, Wild Water Adventures offering more than 15 slides, a wave pool, children’s play area, abundant shade, and even fishing is a great choice. Buy tickets online or in person.

If you plan to go to either park more than twice this summer, season passes are usually the most economical way to go. Daily ticket prices vary, for rates click here.

Blackbeard’s

Blackbeard’s waterslides are closed for the 2021 season and will reopen in Summer 2022.

Where to Swim & Cool Off in Fresno 2021

Stay cool and stay safe! For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Found Collective: Vintage Pop Up Turned Brick & Mortar Store Opens its Doors in Tower

July 7, 2021 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

Juliann Love has had a passion for vintage goods and design for as long as she can remember. In 2019 she turned that passion into her own business, Found Collective, by turning her entire home into a showroom for staged pop-up sales of her thoughtfully sourced and curated vintage pieces. Last month, Found Co officially opened the doors to its very own brick & mortar location at 1535 E. Olive Ave Suite 105 in Fresno’s Tower District. I had the opportunity to interview Juliann and learn more about her business and her inspiration. I hope you’ll support Found Co in its new location and enjoy its origin story as much as I have!

FresYes: Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself, and how you got started creating Found Co.?

Juliann Love: Design has been something I have loved for a very long time. My mother was a very creative person. She would have me be the one to set up the table for the holidays which I loved. I’d bring out the special plates, glassware, and whatever greenery from the yard. I loved it so much.

I also used to watch Oprah when I was younger, and I loved the episodes with Nate Berkus! My mind was blown every time he would reveal a design. It just amazed me seeing how he can transform a room into something so beautiful. Design has been such a huge passion of mine, and vintage came into play when I met my husband 10 years ago. We would go shopping together looking for vintage finds as dates often – it was so fun.

I love creating unique spaces with items that have character and history – having a space that doesn’t look like everyone else’s home. So, Found Co blossomed into something that offered vintage and design.

Found Collective opens first brick & mortar store — Found Co owner Juliann Love and family outside of their new store in Tower

FY: What were some of the best moments in Found Co’s early days, and what were some of the challenges you faced in getting to this point?

Juliann: Making my first sales for sure! Putting yourself out there is such a vulnerable thing! You want people to accept and support what is on your heart! So, seeing people show up is always a humbling experience. I’m always working on staying true to myself and not worrying about what other people are doing, just trying to do me! It is so easy to get caught up on Instagram in the comparison game. Yes, there are lots of other resellers, but there’s only one of me and I offer something different because of that.

FY: What are some of the things you’re most looking forward to now that Found Co. has a brick and mortar store?

Juliann: I’m looking forward to growing more — offering different services, traveling more, connecting with the community, having events with my neighbors! I love being inclusive, so having a space like this I feel will allow that to happen.

FY: Is it hard to source items for the shop without wanting to keep them all for yourself? What pieces especially call to you personally?

Juliann: There are definitely challenges when I find gems for sure, but I’ve learned to be detached from anything I bring in. Pieces that call to me are natural stone tables. I’ve always been obsessed with them.

FY: What types of items tend to sell the fastest once you’ve put them up for sale?

Juliann: I would say statement pieces. Whether it’s a coffee table that is so unique, a couch with a great pattern, or vintage glassware.

FY: How would you describe the aesthetic of the pieces you gravitate toward for the shop?

Juliann: I love having little bits of it all! Whether it’s midcentury modern, postmodern, or even boho, I love having a little bit of it all and seeing how they become one in a space. I love a good statement piece, and I hope each piece in the shop is just that for my customer’s homes.

FY: Anything else you’d like readers to know about Found Co.?

Juliann: I would encourage those reading to get yourself out there if you’re passionate about something. Nothing comes easy! Do the pop-ups and any events. Learn from your mistakes and don’t be hard on yourself. This isn’t the endpoint for me, and it took such a long time to get to this point which I’m so thankful for. I would also encourage those to keep grinding at what you love to do – and doing what you love doesn’t mean it’s always easy, it’s still hard work let me tell you!

Found Co’s hours vary, and the best way to stay up to date with their hours is via their Instagram account, specifically in the Stories section. Happy shopping!

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Found Collective opens first brick & mortar store
Found Collective opens first brick & mortar store

Fresno’s 4th of July Fireworks Shows Roundup – 2021

June 28, 2021 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

It’s time once again to don your favorite red, white and blue apparel, fire up the grill and get ready to watch fireworks with your friends and family! The 4^th of July is just days away and once again we’re here to help you find the perfect spot to view fireworks near you.

Here is our annual round-up of Fresno’s 4th of July Fireworks Shows for 2021!

July 1st -4th

Star Spangled Revue—Wild Water Adventures in Clovis

This annual show takes place once it gets dark and requires water park admission tickets to watch. One of the area’s longest-standing shows, this performance includes a laser light show and music. Visit their website to find out more.

July 2nd-4th

Fireworks Extravaganza—Fresno Grizzlies

The biggest fireworks display in the Valley on the Fourth will be after the Fresno Grizzlies game. The game starts at 6:35pm. Reserve your seats online now!

July 3rd

Community Independence Day Celebration—Selma High School

Selma High offers a fantastic opportunity for family fun beginning at 5:30pm. They have children’s activities, food booths and a ceremony honoring Veterans and of course, fireworks. Admission is $2 for kids, $5 for adults and priority parking is available for $2. No outside food or ice chests permitted. For more info, click here.

Kingsburg’s Independence Day Celebration—Kingsburg High School Football Stadium

Gates open at 5 p.m. for guests to enjoy food from various food trucks and claim a picnic spot to watch the fireworks show, which will begin around 9:15pm. The event will take place outside of the stadium in the surrounding area, therefore admission will not be able to be collected. The Kingsburg Chamber was grateful to receive community donations that supported the cost of the event last year, and requests guests donate what they can for the same purpose online via their Gofundme page once again this year. Check out more about the event and access the Gofundme here.

Festival of the American Spirit Fireworks Show—Kerman High School

For those who regularly attend the Kerman fireworks display, please note this event will not be held this year.

Shaver Lake Fireworks Show

This celebration at Shaver Lake just under an hour north of Fresno kicks off with a boat parade that starts at Sierra Marina and ends in the middle of the lake, followed by a fireworks display. Check out Shaver’s website for more details.

July 3rd and 4th

Granite Park’s Electric Sky Event – Granite Park

This two-day event offers fireworks, food, vendors, drinks and more. Admission is free! The event runs from 3-11pm. For additional information, click here.

July 4th

Sanger’s Fourth of July Spectacular—Sanger High Practice Field

Arts and crafts, food, live entertainment, a kids area and fireworks await you in Sanger this 4^th of July. The event begins at 6:30pm. Call 559-875-4575 for tickets or additional information.

Freedom Fest—Clovis High School Football Stadium

For those who regularly attend this display, please note this event will not be held this year.

4th of July at the Island Waterpark—Fresno

Island Waterpark has cancelled their Fireworks Show for this year.

Bass Lake Fireworks

Bass Lake is another great place to watch fireworks on the water with a boat parade beginning at 7pm and fireworks at 9pm. Arrive early to claim a good spot on the beach to enjoy the show! More details here.

**Now, go fourth and celebrate!**

All of us here at FresYes hope this list helps you find the perfect celebration for your family and friends to enjoy – and we wish you a safe, fun and healthy holiday!

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Fresno’s 4th of July Fireworks Shows

Just In Time For Summer, Fresno Chaffee Zoo Reopens Play Areas And Exhibits

June 16, 2021 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

Fresno Chaffee Zoo Reopens Play Areas And Exhibits

Officials at Fresno Chaffee Zoo announced yesterday – Tuesday, June 15 that with the State of California updating its COVID restrictions and eliminating the tiered system, the Zoo is happy to be able to open areas that have remained closed since March 2020.

As of June 15th, the Zoo has opened its Wilderness Falls water and Dino Dig play areas. Keeper Chats and presentations have also resumed throughout the Zoo.

“Keeper Chats and presentations at world-class exhibits like Sea Lion Cove are crucial to our mission of inspiring guests through engaging and educational experiences with animals. We look forward to these opportunities to connect people with animals and conservation,” said Jon Forrest Dohlin, Chief Executive Officer.

In accordance with state and federal guidance, unvaccinated guests are asked to continue wearing a mask throughout their visit at the Zoo, except when eating in designated café or eating areas. Masks are no longer required for fully vaccinated guests. The Zoo will still be offering outdoor service at its multiple dining locations, including Kopje Lodge, and additional hand washing and sanitizing stations will still be available throughout the Zoo.

The Zoo is eliminating its maximum capacity, but guests are encouraged to pre-purchase their tickets online. The Zoo offers timed tickets for pre-purchase on its website. Guests that arrive with timed tickets will receive priority entrance, making for shorter wait times for entry. Walk-up ticket sales will still be available and will not be subject to any capacity.

“We have found that timed ticketing and pre-purchased tickets help us provide a great guest experience throughout the day,” said Dohlin. “Understanding how many people will be visiting at any given time helps us manage lines and groups throughout the Zoo so every guest can make the most of their visit.”

Ready to plan your visit to the Zoo? Click here for additional information and to purchase tickets online. Tickets are $14.95 for adults and $8.95 for children over the age of 1. Family memberships that offer unlimited entry during a year start at just $75. The Zoo is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm and members have the option of early entry at 8:30 am.

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Fresno Chaffee Zoo Reopens Play Areas And Exhibits

5 Awesome Fresno Summer Camps Still Enrolling for 2021

June 14, 2021 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

As we begin to emerge from our pandemic state of living, one reemergence particularly thrilling to parents and kids is summer camps! Though some camps remain closed this summer and all are affected by having to reduce numbers to allow for social distancing, the great news is that there are several really fun camps still enrolling for this summer, and if you act quickly you can likely still snag a spot for the young people in your family. Below find 5 Awesome Fresno Summer Camps Still Enrolling for 2021 (as of Friday, June 11th).

San Joaquin River Parkway and Trust – River Camp

River Camp is a popular choice every year and offers developmentally appropriate and safe nature conservancy and river biome experiences for a wide range of children from 3.5 years and up to age 14. Costs run from $110 to $250 per week depending on the day length, but there are still several weeks with availability at this time. For more information on the sessions and to register, click here.

Zoo Camp is awesome and we’re not ‘lion’!

Zoo Camp at Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Yes, there is also still space in several sessions of the Zoo’s mega-popular Zoo Camp program! Different weeks will offer different themes such as California native creatures, dinosaurs, and unique animal abilities and attributes. For Covid-safety reasons, all Zoo Camp activities will take place outdoors this year, and masks will be required – however, there is tons of fun to be had and a week of camp is just $160 for Zoo members and $170 for non-members. Click here for additional information.

The Discovery Center’s Creative Minds Camp

This fun camp option is themed by the week and will include fun STEM exploration through hands-on activities focused on physics, paleontology, naturalism, chemistry, engineering, and solving mysteries through deductive reasoning. This $350 one-week all-day camp is a bit pricier, however, there is a $45 discount available for members and parents rave about how much fun their kids had in previous years participating in Summer Camp at the Discovery Center. For more information or to sign up, click here.

InnovEd’s Summer Camp

InnovEd offers unique engineering and STEM opportunities taught by credentialed teachers or engineering industry professionals, and participants will have the chance to create intricate and complex electronics, toys, and robotics. Projects like building a drone, a remote-controlled car, and a robot are all on the list of options with InnovEd. There are just a few spots left in each session, so if you have a child deeply interested in engineering and wanting to have a more in-depth experience this summer I’d recommend looking into this one right away. Click here for additional info.

“Throwing” clay is the process of creating using a pottery wheel

Good Dirt Pottery Studio’s Day Camp

Good Dirt is a brand-new pottery studio located in northwest Fresno on Bullard and Marks, offering ceramic instruction including wheel-based learning for adults and children alike. This summer, they will offer weekly themed camps for kids that will allow participants to learn to throw and create on a pottery wheel as well as through a variety of other clay building techniques, and the products of these lessons will be fired and sent home to enjoy for years to come. The remaining spaces are limited, so if you’ve got a creative kid in your life – be sure to snag them a spot in Good Dirt’s Camp asap! Click here for more info and to register.

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

5 Awesome Fresno Summer Camps Still Enrolling for 2021

The Rise, Fall & Rise of Fresno’s Lowell Neighborhood

June 11, 2021 by Craig Scharton Leave a Comment

Tucked in between the Tower District and the Mural/Cultural Arts District is one of Fresno’s very first subdivisions called the Lowell Neighborhood. The neighborhood gets its name from Lowell Elementary School, which is named for abolitionist poet James Russell Lowell. The neighborhood’s boundaries form a triangle: Freeway 180 on the north, Divisadero on the south, and Blackstone on the east.

Older neighborhoods have a depth and complexity that both attracts and repels different groups. Lowell was developed during the time before planning and zoning made cities more homogenous. There are mansions, mid-sized homes, bungalow courts, and apartments all on the same blocks. This meant that higher-income kids and lower-income kids grew up together.

Fresno's Lowell neighborhood — A row of mansions on Van Ness

A perfect storm of bad decisions hit the Lowell Neighborhood starting in the late 1950s. Freeway 180 was planned to go right through the neighborhood, leaving a wake of abandoned houses and lots. New plans designated the area as multi-family, allowing homes to be demolished and replaced by lower-quality apartments. The City stopped proactive code enforcement, which meant properties could deteriorate, unless someone complained.

Once a neighborhood starts declining, it can be difficult to reverse. Home ownership declined as rentals multiplied, school test scores dropped as student transiency increased. When the middle class leaves for greener pastures, concentrated poverty fills in behind.

But all is not lost! What is the opposite of concentrated poverty? Diversity of income levels. Some middle class people decided to move back into the neighborhood. H Spees and his family bought a cute log cabin-styled bungalow in the neighborhood. Randy and Tina White bought a beautiful home on Van Ness. Dozens of families followed over the next few years. The neighbors relocated to Lowell to intentionally help to turn around the neighborhood. I bought my home in Lowell in 2010 to personally join this revitalization effort.

One of our neighbors, Dr. Don Simmons, made a statement one time that really struck a chord with me (and I’m sure many others). Don said that if you measure our neighborhood by income, it is very poor compared to other neighborhoods. But if you measure our neighborhood by the quality of our community, we are rich compared to other neighborhoods.

How can you measure the quality of our community? We have a Lowell Neighborhood Association that meets twice a month. We have the Lowell Community Development Corporation. Neighbors and the City of Fresno Parks Department have renovated one of Fresno’s oldest parks, Dickey Playground. Lowell neighbors have been involved in a design review committee since 1991 and were instrumental in creating the new Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan which was just adopted unanimously by the City Council.

On an abandoned CalTrans property under Freeway 180, the neighborhood, along with help from Fresno Metro Ministries, AmeriCorps, Gazebo Gardens, City of Fresno, and PG&E, opened the Lowell Community Garden. Many of the people who have moved into Lowell to help the neighbors and neighborhood have potlucks on Sunday nights.

Fresno Urban Neighborhood Development Corporation has beautifully restored several homes in the neighborhood. The Fresno Housing Authority has invested in Lowell through a new development and a renovation of one of the worst offending apartment complexes. Fresno City College fixed up a few houses with the help of a training program for their students.

Fresno State focused 10 colleges within the university on the neighborhood for one year, including Lowell within actual curriculum, from Construction Management to Engineering (starting a Lego Program after school) and Peacemaking to Public Relations. The year of Fresno State saw a 30-point jump in Lowell Elementary’s test scores!

I love my neighborhood. It’s not perfect—not by a long shot. But that’s one of its best features. We have a reason to work together to make improvements. When good things happen, we all get to celebrate the victories. We’ve had 400 people show up to neighborhood meetings. Our neighbors have been actively engaged in downtown revitalization issues as well as efforts to battle against substandard housing. We hope that you can wish us well along this journey to transform one of Fresno’s oldest neighborhoods. Or maybe you’d like to join us?

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