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Community cleanups have taken place throughout Corona’s history starting in 1887
when early settlers were encouraged to “clean up your backyards, cart off the old tin
cans, and burn the rubbish.”
During the early 1900s there was even an official City Beautification Committee.
Throughout the years, accounts found in local newspapers reflect that “Clean Up, Paint
Up” campaigns were a recurring theme. Citizens were urged to “clean your property
until it is spic and span.”
On June 17, 1998, the Corona City Council adopted the Downtown Corona
Revitalization Specific Plan which had worthwhile objectives to improve the historic
core. Shortly thereafter plans were conceived to implement this revitalization effort by
way of a cleanup program.
The official title of this community event was “Corona Beautiful – Celebrating Our
Neighborhoods,” although it came to be known and discussed as “Corona Beautiful”.
The original concept was for cleanup and improvement efforts to be focused on areas
within the Grand Boulevard Circle, quadrant by quadrant. The Circle has been the
“heart of the city” since its founding in 1886 so it seemed a natural for the City to team
up with the Corona Historic Preservation Society.
Beginning in November 1998, modern day volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder to
clean and spruce up neighborhoods for the common good just as their predecessors
had done. City workers provided the expertise, “heavy equipment” and vehicles to haul
off debris. Corona Beautiful I was held in November 1998 when the focus was on the
southeast quadrant of the Grand Boulevard Circle. The staging area was at Victoria
Park and included nearly 500 volunteers.
Victoria Park was once where the old Lincoln School once stood. An historic marker
was dedicated at CB I in recognition of the Lincoln campus, built in 1889, and the
importance it played in the fledgling community.
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Historic Marker commemorating Lincoln School site was dedicated at CB I |
Diverse groups of volunteers of all ages arrived very early on Saturday mornings,
completed registration, received their T-shirts (uniquely colored for each event after the
first two (white) with the Corona Beautiful logo), accepted gloves, tools and trash bags
for their various projects and gave unselfishly of their time to improve the community.
The number of volunteers varied from 500 to over 1,000 at the Corona Beautiful events.
There was a special unifying spirit at these events which became somewhat of a
tradition for five years (1998 – 2003).
After work projects were completed, participants returned and gathered again at the
staging area for lunch, community fairs and recognition awards and certificates. |
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Co-founders of the “Corona Beautiful – Celebrating
Our Neighborhoods” program were Ron Running,
Principal Planner of the Corona Planning
Department, at the time, and Mary Winn, Society
Secretary in 1998, and a founding member of the
Corona Historic Preservation Society. The intent was
to revitalize and enhance the historic heart of the city
– the neighborhoods within the Grand Boulevard
Circle. |
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 (L-R) Ron Running, Mary Winn and City Councilmember Jan Rudman
distributing participation certificates at CBIII in 1999
The City of Corona, CHPS and the City’s Redevelopment Agency co-sponsored the
program from 1998 – 2003 during which time nine Corona Beautiful events took place in
the Spring or the Fall. Events were held twice a year from 1998-2001 and once in 2002
and 2003. Dates they were held:
CBI – Saturday, November 7, 1998 CBVI - Saturday, May 19, 2001
CBII - Saturday, June 5, 1999 CBVII - Saturday, October 13, 2001
CBIII - Saturday, November 6, 1999 CBVIII - Saturday, November 9, 2002
CBIV - Saturday, April 15, 2000 CBIX - Saturday, October 18, 2003
CBV - Saturday, October 14, 2000
The first four Corona Beautiful (I - IV) events focused volunteer efforts strictly within the
four quadrants of the Grand Boulevard Circle. In subsequent events, the project areas
expanded to include other nearby areas. Volunteers accomplished a number of tasks. |
Weed lot cleanup |
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| Debris and overgrowth removal from alleys |
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| Vintage home exterior makeover and landscaping |
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Another house gets a facelift from the Rotary Club |
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| Tree planting and trimming |
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| Residential property refuse collection and placement in donated debris boxes |
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From the official report, of the October 2001 event, presented to the City Council, one
can get a flavor of what can be accomplished when we unite as a community to improve
neighborhoods:
Trash and Debris Removal 2001
• 174 tons of trash
• 15 tons of metal
• 15 tons of wood
• 45 tons of green waste
• 30 tons of tires
• 15 tons of recyclable materials
• 294 total tons of trash and debris removed
Trees Trimmed & Planted:
12 trees planted in City Park
201 trees trimmed in target area
The above totals are only a portion of the important work done by volunteers when we
unite as a community, work with one another: Girl Scout Troops, Boy Scout Troops,
Cub Scout Packs and Dens, groups organized from churches, leadership groups,
service groups and clubs from the local intermediate and high schools, families, service
club members, friends and neighbors all worked together on beautification and cleanup
projects in our city’s historic downtown.
After CBIX in 2003, the City announced the Corona Beautiful program would go on
hiatus for two years. Since then, however, the City has not initiated any discussion
about re-establishing the community cleanups.
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Family, School and Club groups participated |
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| Some worked by themselves |
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(L-R) Judi Staats of Redevelopment Agency, Mary Jo Boller & Mary Winn
of CHPS worked together to plan CBIV |
These young men worked together gathering trash bags at CBIV |
Community Fair Booths |
Presentation of Awards |
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