Parks and Recreation

Fleet Feet Sports is Honored as One of 50 Best in USA

December 15, 2016 by Seb Frey

Fleet Feet Sports in Aptos Named one of 50th Best in USA!

Did you know that Aptos is home to one of the very best running shops in the entire US of A? For the third time in four years, Fleet Feet Sports is honored as one of the 50 Best in USA by Running Insight and Competitor Magazine.

Fleet Feet Sports Aptos took its place among the country’s elite retailers following an extensive nomination and review process throughout 2016. The judging culminated in the store’s recognition at a gala awards ceremony in Orlando on Dec. 1, 2016, as part of The Running Event, an annual conference and trade expo for specialty running retailers.

Fleet Feet Sports in Aptos was selected after a rigorous vetting process that rated the store on its service, product knowledge, merchandising and community service. The shop will be featured in a special issue of Competitor magazine distributed nationally. The store will also receive a commemorative plaque to mark the award. Each of the 50 Best winners will also share the award with consumers via a special window sign supplied by Competitor that indicates the store as a 50 Best 2016 winner.

The process of compiling a list of the top 50 running shops in the country began early in 2016 when Formula 4 Media, with the help of Competitor Magazine, began to collect and evaluate nominations from runners, soliciting feedback from consumers on their favorite running stores. More 16,000 individual customer nominations were received. A panel of industry experts from Franklin Resource Group mystery shop nominated stores to evaluate on 20 different aspects of retailing, including product knowledge, environment, vendor relations and community involvement.

Congratulations to Russ and Tina Coillot of Fleet Feet Sports! They have been tremendous supporters of our Aptos community and it’s wonderful to see their shop receive the recognition it so richly deserves.

Valencia Hall and Post Office

December 13, 2016 by Seb Frey

The Valencia Hall and Post Office are all that remain of the once thriving community of Valencia. Built circa 1884 by Frederick A. Hihn for his Valencia logging mill workers and their families. Valencia Hall originally served as a community meeting place for dances, Sunday school, the Lyceum and Literary Society. In the 1920s ownership transferred to the Valencia Farm Bureau when it served as a gathering place for many community events. In 1976, after decades of neglect, the buildings became the property of the County of Santa Cruz. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places (#84001201) maintained and operated by the Santa Cruz County Parks Department as a party and wedding venue.

The buildings on the property were originally located a few dozen feet from their current location, but were moved across Bear Creek Road and Valencia Road to their current location in the late 1980s. Santa Cruz county purchased the parcel of land where the structures are currently situated in 1986.

Both structures are built to last, constructed out of old-growth redwood. Many of the double-hung windows are original; the glass has become wavy with age. The post office building has some original 1880s wallpaper along the ceiling, which is deteriorated and protected by plexiglass. The pot-belly stove in the building is said to be original as well. The kitchen and bathroom area in the Hall building are said to have been added in the 1920s.

If you wish to reserve Valencia Hall, you can do so by contacting the Santa Cruz County Parks Department. Your reservation will include:

The hall
Kitchen facilities
60 chairs
14 six-foot rectangular banquet tables
Up to 80 guests

On weekends, there is an eight hour minimum time to book the facility, including preparation and take-down. During the week and in winter, hourly rentals may be available. There is an additional fee for a sound permit ($250-$300 for 5 hours of music) and another fee for an alcohol permit if you wish (another $250-$300, for four hours of alcohol service). The property is fully wheelchair accessible, and there is parking for approximately 45 vehicles. Reservations can be made up to a year in advance, and set-up and clean-up are the responsibility of the party.

Valencia Hall Video

Valencia Hall Photographs

Valencia Post Office

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Burner

November 23, 2016 by Seb Frey

Worried about busting your waistline this Thanksgiving Day? If you’re concerned about what indulging in a 3,000 calorie meal could mean for your health, you’re not alone. The good news is that while we celebrate all we are thankful for by overindulging in a way that might make Boss Hogg blush, you do have a great opportunity on Thursday to make a positive difference for your body and your health.

Rocky’s Fitness Center in Pleasure Point is once again having its traditional Thanksgiving Day Turkey Burner. Rocky’s is run by Aptos resident Rocky Snyder, and he’s been running a fitness center in Santa Cruz county for decades. It’s very well known by many athletes, surfers, and health care professionals in the area for its distinctive approach to physical fitness training.

Members of the community are invited to go down to Rocky’s Fitness on Thursday, November 24th at 9 AM for a FREE one hour fitness session. Check it out and see what you think – Rocky’s is also running a Winter Workout special, with a three-month membership on sale for $249 which is a heck of a deal and includes a free t-shirt! It’s suggested that you get there a bit earlier than 9:00 AM as parking may be a bit hard to find. Get on down to Rocky’s and get your metabolism geared up for the feast to come!

Polo Grounds Restroom Now Open for Business!

November 17, 2016 by Seb Frey

Polo Grounds Park in Aptos is well known to many area families; many weekends of the year, the park hosts up to 2,000 people who come to play soccer, baseball, ride their BMX bikes, walk their dogs, and other sports and recreational activities. Until now, all these thousands of weekly visitors had only a few portable chemical toilets to use to satisfy the call of nature.

That’s all come to an end now, as the Santa Cruz County Parks Department officially opened the new restroom and concession building at the Park. Parks Director Jeff Gaffney got the proceedings rolling, and soon turned the microphone over to Jay Johnson, the general contractor for the project. The project had also been championed and supported by the Cabrillo Host Lions Club, and their President also spoke at the event. Supervisor Zach Friend also made extensive remarks, and then it was time to cut the ribbon and tour the new facility.

The Restrooms are open but there’s still room for improvement! Support the Cabrillo Host Lions Club in their work by buying a personalized brick which will be installed at the site. Bricks are just $100 for a 4×8 or $150 for a 12×12.

After the ceremony, Jay Johnson shared some interesting details about the facility. It is actually a pre-fabricated structure manufactured in Oregon, and was brought to the site on three flatbed trucks. It came already painted with anti-graffiti paint. The front third of the building is the concession area, with a window for service and several sinks. Most of the center of the building is a utility hallway, which makes it easy to access and maintain the mechanicals (plumbing, electricity, etc.) for the building. There’s also a cool bottle filler above the water fountains built into the rear of the building by the bathroom doors.

You can see a video below of the ceremony, and a gallery of photographs showing the inside of the building below that. In more ways than one, having this new restroom facility at the Polo Grounds will be a big relief for the Aptos community.

Polo Grounds Restroom Ribbon Cutting Video

Photos of new Polo Grounds Restroom and Concession Building

Polo Grounds Restroom Groundbreaking

November 2, 2016 by Seb Frey

The day which many Aptos families have been eagerly awaiting will soon be upon us! The Santa Cruz County Parks Department has announced that the new Polo Grounds Park Restroom and Concession Building will be having a ribbon cutting opening ceremony on Wednesday, November 16th between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM. All are welcome to attend!

Fit for the Fight Against Cancer

May 25, 2016 by Seb Frey

Be Fit for the Fight Against Cancer! On Friday, June 3rd, please join the good folks at Seascape Village Fitness in Aptos for an evening of fun and dancing from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Featuring the local and extremely fun Santa Cruz band Extra Large, this event will inspire you to get on your feet and make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. All proceeds will go to Santa Cruz Children’s Charities and The American Cancer Society Santa Cruz Relay for Life.

In addition to the great vibes from Extra Large, there will be wine and olive oil tasting, a number of beverages, appetizers, desserts, and a live auction and raffle. Admission is $75 per person and tickets can be ordered online via EventBrite.

Seascape Village Fitness

May 25, 2016 by Seb Frey

Seascape Village Fitness is a family-owned and operated business located in the Seascape Village Shopping Center. This is not your typical gym or health club; rather, they are dedicated towards helping you identify and pursue your own personal path to a sustainable fitness regimen. They emphasize a team approach to help motivate you to regain and maintain an active and productive lifestyle. They were honored in 2014 to receive the Good Times Magazine award for being the best fitness club in Aptos.

They offer a range of training plans, including personal one-on-one fitness training, semi-private personal training, weekly group team training, nutrition and weight loss support program, massage therapy, physical therapy, and much more! These folks are here to help you with the personal support you will need to reach your fitness goals; you won’t be left to wonder what you should be doing to get there.

The business is run by Jim and Kathy Tucker, along with their daughter Erin and a team of dedicated health and fitness professionals. If you’re looking for a way to get healthy and fit – and stay that way – stop on by and check them out. They do offer a trial membership so you can get an idea of what they have to offer without a long-term commitment.

Seascape Village Fitness

Seascape Village Fitness Instagram Feed

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Golden Chiropractic – Aptos

May 13, 2016 by Seb Frey

Golden Chiropractic in Aptos is more than just a chiropractic office – it’s the place in town to go for treatment for a hurting body. Aptos is very much a lifestyle town, and these folks will help keep you in tip top shape to keep you surfing, hiking, biking, and wine tasting with the best of them. You will find the following services available:

Chiropractic Care
Corrective Exercises
Lifestyle Advice
Massage Therapy
Rock Tape
Acupuncture
Chinese Herbal Medicine

Dr. Goldi also specializes in the Graston Technique, which uses specially-designed stainless steel instruments, along with appropriate therapeutic exercise, to specifically detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation.

Not only do they offer a wide range of expert and cutting-edge bodywork services, they do it all with good humor and aplomb! Learn more about Golden Chiropractic’s services, who they serve, and how they deal with insurance by watching the video below.

Golden Chiropractic – Meet Goldi and Melissa

See also:

Golden Chiropractic Web Site, Golden Chiropractic Facebook Page

Golden Chiropractic Instagram Feed

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Free Swim Lessons at Seascape Sports Club

April 19, 2016 by Seb Frey

Free Summer Swim Lessons at Seascape — Free Swimming Safety Class

As part of an effort to prevent and reduce accidental drownings, Seahorse Swim School has partnered with “USA Swimming Foundation” and “Make a Splash” to offer FREE swim lessons to all ages, levels & abilities on Saturday April 23 from 1-3PM at Seascape Sports Club in Aptos.

No appointment is needed and swimming experience is not required. A level assessment will be performed for all new swimmers. For more information, visit their website seahorseswimschool.com or call 476-7946.

Tiffany Harmon started her business Seahorse Swim School in 1999 and is an Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross in Water Safety. She utilizes her BA in Psychology on all of her students helping them to reach their goals and overcome their fears. Tiffany has built her business up from private lessons to a full swim program at 4 locations county wide. She is locally involved in her community as a radio DJ on KZSC since 1996, playing reggae music for the listening audience. She has just opened a pool for private lessons as well.

Join Team Coco for Team in Training

March 22, 2016 by Seb Frey

Walkers and runners of all ages and levels of athletic ability are invited to join Team Coco, the local Team in Training Marathon (TNT) team at 8:30 a.m. at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville to participate in a Spring Fun Run.

The event includes a free 1K for kids under 14 starting at 8:30 as well as a 5K and 10K for adults starting at 9 a.m. Race registration is $35 for the 5K, and $45 for the 10K.

The Spring Fun Run is being held to honor Coco Lazenby, the daughter of longtime TNT participant Kate Pavao, who was killed by a distracted driver in 2015. Coco had grown up with the team; she pitched in at fundraisers, got up early to cheer on her mom, grandma and other runners through several half and full marathons, and had recently even started babysitting the kids of other participants. April 16 would have been Coco’s 13th birthday.

“We are so honored that Team Coco is hosting this run on Coco’s birthday, and raising money to fight blood cancer. Coco was a person who believed in doing as much good as possible, and we are proud that so many other members of our community are making the world a better place in her name,” said Kate Pavao.

In recognition of Coco’s love for books and reading, every child that participates will receive a book at the finish line, a gift from the Live Like Coco Foundation, launched by Coco’s parents, Kate Pavao and Aaron Lazenby.

This event is accessible. Please call in advance for reasonable accommodation requests. Space is limited, but same day race registration will be offered if available. Use this link to register in advance.

Team in Training (TNT) is the flagship fundraising program for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the only endurance sports training program for charity that raises money for blood cancer research. TNT and LLS are changing the landscape of blood cancer, not someday but today, making TNT the perfect way to fundraise.

For more information about Team Coco, visit: http://pages.teamintraining.org/svmb/rnrseatl16/TeamCoco

Contact:
Aaron Lazenby
415-595-5960