Bonita's Best Friend
- Susan Heavilin
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
As the 2025 Bonitafest takes place, I'd like to make mention of the 1977 Bonitafest Parade Grand Marshall, Pat Spies. She has been honored and revered as one of Bonita's strongest advocates.
Moving to the area in 1948 with her husband, William, she quickly became one of the strongest voices for the preservation of Bonita and its rural beauty.
By 1949, Pat had become a Charter member of the Sweetwater Valley Civic Association. She remained involved in the SVCA for 28 years, championing some of their biggest battles.
Pat served in every executive position on the SVCA Board. After that, she moved on to "serving as a representative of the Civic Association at Chula Vista Council meeting, Planning Commission Conferences, San Diego County Board of Supervisor meetings and other important decision making bodies."
Needless to say, she was a real force to be reckoned with. Her capabilities and impact on Bonita cannot be ignored and we owe a great deal to this remarkable woman.
"Pat Spies has done far more than anyone else to help the Valley keep its rural appeal. She is Bonita's sounding board. She has given tremendous amounts of time and effort . . . something that very few people have done." —Attorney Bill Canon, past president of SVCA & past Chairman of the Sweetwater Community Planning Group
The sole purpose of the SVCA in those days was to fight the fight to help maintain the character and beauty of Bonita. Some of the battles that Pat Spies fought include:
Defeat of annexation by the Otay Mesa Fire District
Stopping the consolidation of the Bonita area to Chula Vista Post Office, thus retaining our Bonita postmark
Holding at bay the Bonita-Miguel Project
Battling the SR 54 from being built through the middle of Bonita
Fighting the proposed National City May Co. Shopping Center Project that would destroy the Bonita Golf Course area
"I, and other concerned residents have worked for many years to make Bonita beautiful - that's why everybody comes here. It's now time for the new people to step up and carry on."—Pat Spies
On September 29, 1977, The Bonita Post published the article below about Pat Spies:
Click on image to enlarge for easier readability.
Source: "Bonita's Best Friend - '77 Grand Marshall Pat Spies"
EDITOR COMMENT: Did anyone ever meet Pat Spies? Please tell us about it in the comment section below!
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