Growing Up in Bonita—When Open Space and Horses Were the Norm. A Preview of What Might Be Coming...
- Susan Heavilin
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
A friend—from out of town—was visiting last Friday. As we drove around, she exclaimed over and over how much Bonita had changed. She had grown up here.
Change is inevitable but why does it seem that every community must be overbuilt to the point of destroying its character? The open spaces are stolen away and turned into acres and acres of high density. Why must that be?
"Open space and green areas significantly improve physical and mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression while boosting cognitive function and cardiovascular health. Regular access encourages physical activity, lowers cortisol levels, and improves sleep quality. These areas also enhance community well-being by providing space for social interaction."—Google
Once every inch is frittered away, the opportunistic developers move to a new area and the process is repeated.
I personally like Bonita-Sunnyside just as it is. I'm sure that I would have liked it even better back in the 1960s or even the early 1900s. I've heard so many great stories about how wonderful it was growing up here.
We can't do anything about the changes already made, but it would be nice to keep what is left of our rural community.
The state is pushing more homes, but for who? A large percentage of Californians have moved to other states in the past five years. Who are they building for?
Is This the Future Plan for Bonita-Sunnyside?
Yesterday's Union-Tribune had an article about townhouses being built in lieu of single-family houses. The subheading was "Denser new home construction is reshaping San Diego County." It also stated that most new homes — from San Marcos to Chula Vista — are townhouses.
The article said San Diego housing analyst Gary London has pushed the benefits of townhouses for years as a way to lower costs, maximize limited space, and create what he calls “light density” to avoid major neighborhood opposition.
“When developers elect to build higher-density townhomes or rowhomes, they are trying to fill a niche that was formerly filled by single-family homes. Most people can’t afford single-family homes in San Diego. The most expensive part of a house in the county is the land. By reducing lot sizes and keeping the size of a property sufficient for a family, it reduces the cost substantially."—Gary London
Do you remember the term "infill development"? This is infill development. It means building new homes or buildings in already developed areas. It’s like filling gaps in a neighborhood. These areas often have roads, utilities, and services close by, which makes them more efficient places to grow. This was discussed in the Housing Unlocked Webinar information.
Read "Most new San Diego homes are townhouses. Here's where to find them and how much they cost" for the rest of the details on this new denser housing plan.
Bonita in the Good Old Days
When I returned home from my walk down memory lane with my friend, this popped up on the computer. A cool little FaceBook page called "Growing Up in Bonita":
"I grew up in Bonita, CA. When I was a child we had an area code and you didn’t use it!!! A lot of my clothes came from Mervyns. The mall was for special outfits. If you had a pool you were KING of the block. Eating out at a restaurant was a huge deal that only happened for special occasions. Fast food was left overs at home. Eating popsicles was a treat on a hot day. We had the ice cream truck and you only needed $5 or less. School was mandatory!! You took your school clothes off as soon as you got home and put on your play clothes. If no one was home after school, you jumped the gate or went in through the window. Nobody paid for daycare. We ate dinner at the table. Our house phone was always being used. We played , 1-2-3 Not It, Red Light Green Light, Hide & Seek, Truth or Dare, Tag, BaseBall , Football and we rode bikes. Girls and Boys played in the street or in the house. Climbed Trees. We came home when the street lights came on. Children were seen and not heard. Staying in the house was a punishment and the only thing we knew about "bored"--- "You better find something to do before I find it for you!" We ate what dad made for dinner or we ate nothing at all. There was no bottled water; we drank from the tap or the water hose (because there was no coming in and out of the house) We watched cartoons on Saturday mornings, and rode our bikes for hours. We ran around in the streets until dark and came in before mom had to find us (the street lights came on). We also go swimming in the lakes if it was hot outside, even if they told us not too. We were AFRAID OF NOTHING. We watched our MOUTHS around our elders because our PARENTS WOULD WHOOP OUR ASSES!!! These were the good old days. Kids today will never know how it feels to be a real kid, they will never understand my childhood!! I loved being a kid!!! I MISS THESE DAYS This was definitely my childhood."—Julie Russell, 06.03.21
Comments
Lisa Sanzone: I absolutely LOVED growing up in Bonita! What a wonderful town to be a child.
Response: It really was magical. We were so lucky!
Patty Urista: Julie, thats exactly how my childhood was. Those were the gold old days. We always played outside and we drank water from the hose. My dad even attached a water faucet to the hose so we wouldnt go in and out of the house. Fun, fun, fun.
Jessica Jepsen: Same. I grew up between San Ysidro, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach.
Pablo Garcia-Ibarra: Yes it was.
Maybe the Universe is reminding us that it's time to push back and preserve the Sunnyside and Bonita areas, before any more major changes take place. Do you agree or disagree?
Do you have a favorite memory of Bonita-Sunnyside? Write it as a comment below.
Comments