It’s Back to School Time! Seeing all the “first day” photos across social media has been so cute! After living in Santa Clarita for 15-plus years, I have learned that our city’s greatest strength is not any single attraction, event or amenity.
It is the way everything just works.
Santa Clarita offers the excitement and opportunity of Southern California while preserving the welcoming atmosphere, open spaces and sense of community that make people want to stay.
Coming from the San Fernando Valley where I grew up, Santa Clarita definitely feels “different” and it’s a good kind of different. It has a small-town feel that doesn’t feel …. well, too small.
I remember when I first came to Santa Clarita. I felt like I was moving to Oregon. It felt so far north! Now, I cannot imagine living anywhere else!
One of the things I appreciate that Santa Clarita does exceptionally well is create opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The city’s dozens of parks, approximately 80 miles of trails and 20 miles of paseos for walking, running, bicycling and skating are very unique.
These routes do more than provide recreation; they connect neighborhoods, encourage healthy lifestyles and allow residents and visitors to experience our natural surroundings.
From a family picnic at Central Park (and let’s talk about the “stairs”!) to a hike through nearby open space, outdoor recreation is an everyday part of life here. Have you heard of the Central Park August 100 stair challenge?
I can ride my bike through the city trail system to work if I wanted and I think that is pretty cool. Santa Clarita also understands that great parks should serve people of every age and ability. Our recreational amenities include athletic fields, adaptive playgrounds, aquatic facilities, skate parks, The Cube, dog parks and inviting community spaces, including an upcoming roller rink.
Every time my sister comes up to visit from Los Angeles she always says the same thing: “You have so much space out here!”
The city’s classes, camps, sports leagues and inclusive programming give children, teenagers, adults and seniors meaningful ways to participate. We excel at being family-friendly.
Six Flags Magic Mountain may be our valley’s largest and best-known attraction, but that experience extends far beyond roller coasters. Families can enjoy hiking, cycling, wildlife experiences, entertainment centers, historic sites, restaurants and community events.
It helps that we have clean streets, little to no graffiti, attractive landscaping and well-maintained facilities reinforcing the feeling that this is a city that pays attention to the details.
Public art has become an increasingly visible part of our streets, parks and civic buildings. I just saw another art piece recently I had never seen before that looked like Butterfly Wings.
Old Town Newhall has emerged as an especially vibrant center for entertainment, dining, history and community gatherings. Events such as Senses Block Parties, Light Up Main Street during the winter holidays and the Cowboy Festival create memorable experiences and great photo ops, while giving us all another reason to support our local businesses.
Concerts in the Park is a treasured summer tradition, bringing thousands of people together for evenings of live music. Seasonal celebrations, sporting events, cultural programs and family activities keep the community calendar active throughout the year.
These events foster civic pride, support tourism and give residents a panoply of options to spend their free time. Hopefully the mall can and will be revitalized and bring that same energy back like the mall had when the carousel was there — remember that?
Speaking of fun and free time — I cannot forget to mention our local charities. While not city-related or run, we have so many amazing charitable organizations out here where people can donate their time, treasure and talent to a cause near to their heart. I have met most of my closest friends through serving on nonprofit boards and participating in numerous charitable events.
When I first moved to Santa Clarita that is how I met people, by getting involved in a few local charities. Today, there is barely a weekend that passes by without an amazing charity event to attend. One of my favorites is upcoming next month — Bras for a Cause, which raises money for breast cancer patients and services.
If I had to try and summarize on a report card what Santa Clarita does best, it would be creating that secret sauce balance: excitement and comfort, growth and preservation, recreation and economic opportunity.
Visitors feel welcomed, businesses find support and residents like myself enjoy an exceptional quality of life that has not and cannot be duplicated in other parts of Southern California.
That delicate balance is very difficult to achieve and has taken a lot of work — and it is what makes Santa Clarita not only a wonderful destination, but also an outstanding place I am happy to call my home.
I would give it a grade of “A” on its report card, and would note with a smiley face sticker: “Keep up the good work.”
Denise Lite is a Santa Clarita resident. “Right Here, Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.
