2001 not just another year in Calabasas

Acorn Staff Writer


The Eiffel Tower in miniature

The Eiffel Tower in miniature

All eyes looked up to the hill behind The Commons on New Year’s Eve, as Calabasas kicked off the year 2001––and its 10th anniversary year––with flashing lights and pyrotechnics lighting up a 55-foot model of the Eiffel Tower.


The festivities began around 8:30 p.m., when the city treated attendees to sumptuous treats made by Café Marmalade and MiPiace, restaurants bordering the area where the crowd congregated. About 200 people came out to celebrate.


At 9 p.m. the Premier Lighting show began, drawing "oohs" and "aahs" and applause from the crowd as it lighted the tower to the sounds of classical music. At one point, balloons over the crowd burst to the rhythm, releasing confetti above the celebrants. The show ended with a rousing version of the "Can Can."


"This puts Calabasas on the map," said City Manager Donald Duckworth. "This encourages people to look at us as a community for the 21st Century, and this is an event to draw people into the (new millennium)," he added.


City Councilman James Bozajian said he was pleased with the turnout, considering that the city didn’t have much time to publicize the event. Actually, the whole thing came together in about three weeks, said John Keisler, community services director.


The event came about after Calabasas resident Brick Price, owner of Wonderworks, a company that creates such items and movie special effects, offered to donate the Eiffel Tower, and other statues that are built for an Asian theme park, to sit on the vacant site of Calabasas’ future civic center, until they are needed in a year or two. Instead of keeping the 1/24 scale reproductions in storage, Price wanted to display them where people can learn about and enjoy them.


The Eiffel Tower had been rushed into place for the New Year’s celebration, which marked the beginning of the city’s 10th anniversary year. As it gets closer to the April anniversary celebration, more miniaturized structures will be placed on the land, such as the White House, Space Shuttle and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The city currently is seeking sponsors to help bring that about, said Bozajian.


"It’s nice to be able to bring the people out to a family celebration," said Calabasas Mayor Dennis Washburn. "We want to make the next 20 years as exciting as the past 10," he said.


Washburn welcomed the crowd and made an official proclamation of the anniversary year.


"We are building an enlightened city, taking our cue from the Eiffel Tower and the City of Light (Paris). With our dream of an advanced library, and arts and performance par…we can create a civic center to serve the professional staff we have to make the dreams into reality," he said.


"Calabasas is renowned as the ‘Last of the Old West,’ but it really embodies the spirit of the Western Frontier that drives us to be curious, creative, cooperative and industrious," he added.


"This is the beginning of the true millennium and the best time for your city to celebrate its 10th anniversary year," Councilwoman Lesley Devine told the crowd.


Mayor Pro Tem Janice Lee said the event was "really wonderful."


"We have so much to be thankful for. Our staff (who developed the event so quickly) really outdid themselves this time," she said.


Attendees agreed with the city officials in their enthusiasm for the community.


"I’ve lived all over the world and have never been so happy as I am in Calabasas. It has a sense of community," said Mai Matthesen.


"We have our kids in (a Calabasas) preschool, so we hang out here a lot. There are great activities for the whole family," said Woodland Hills resident Jeanette Bacigilupo.




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