03-09-2004 CC RPT 16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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FIVE POINTS LA SIERRA Received at meeting of: Date: .~- ~- c;2~'~,5 Item No.: Five Points, once the center of La Sierra, is an intersection of streets going out five ways. First there is Hole Avenue named for Mr. Hole, the first owner of all of the land in La Sierra which was once a Spanish Land Grant. Going out another direction is Pierce Street which starts at Five Points and goes to Magnolia Avenue where it becomes one of the many streets named for presidents along Magnolia Avenue. Midway on Pierce is La Sierra University. A smaller, but still important street going out from Five Points as a star is Bushnell. The biggest, widest street going through two points of the star is La Sierra Avenue. This street used to be named Holden until one day in the late forties or early fifties when my father, Vernon Punches, spoke up in a Chamber of Commerce meeting and commented that there was to be a freeway and the offramp was to be on Holden. He stated that La Sierra would be lost and no one would know where it was if this happened. He suggested that the name of Holden should be changed to La Sierra to identify the area. He was laughed at because there would never be a freeway. He was that retired Boston investment broker with Eastern ideas. Marjorie Seymour, who was president of the La Sierra Chamber at the time and who was in charge of all the Hole Ranch property, and Mr. Ambs, business manager of the then La Sierra College, were more far sighted and they joined my dad to have the name changed. Later there really was a freeway. When we arrived in 1951 and for some years later, Five Points had everything that the 3,500 people living in La Sierra would need. There was a market, where is now a furniture store, there was a drug store on the comer where is now a store selling music C D's. Gedney Tilden had a gas station where a pizza store is now. Then on the North east comer was Belongie's variety store where one could buy almost anything. Next door was a hardware store. Later, just beyond was a mortuary. Each business building was kept well cared for and there were no obnoxious signs or billboards. La Sierrans were all proud of Five Points. What has changed is the present businesses do not have the same respect for their property and have trashed the area with illegal window painting and huge and ugly signs. There has been, as well, a long time history of Riverside government ignoring La Sierra's needs and a lack of zoning enforcement. Through the years some individuals have worked long and hard and have succeeded in getting improvements in La Sierra, but it has not been easy.