EASTVALE: Community celebrates five-year anniversary

October 03, 2015

City incorporated in 2010 and is now 60,000 residents’ strong.

BY LAURIE WILLIAMS / CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As the city of Eastvale celebrated its fifth anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 3, the 80-voice Howlin’ Wolves Choir from Ramirez Intermediate School sang that “a rural land of pastures, once filled with dairy farms, is now a place of family.”

It was the school’s anthem, but the sentiment could be applied to the city as well.

The anniversary celebration began with a run in the morning and continued through the evening in front of Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Police closed Scholar Way to accommodate the party.

“I had the privilege of representing Eastvale before you were a city,” Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione said during the event’s opening ceremony. “It’s been a delight to drive through over the years, seeing homes, schools and churches emerging, and seeing you become a thriving community.”

As Tavaglione spoke, Jason and Noah Hoskins, 7 and 9, made a beeline for inflated bounce houses and slides at the opposite end of the grounds.

“Eastvale has been our home since 2008,” their father, Kris Hoskins, said. “We’re thrilled to celebrate how far it’s come.”

Mayor Ike Bootsma, who has lived in Eastvale for 41 years, looked back on the area’s transformation from dairyland and its incorporation in 2010. “Five short years later, 60,000 residents are proud to call this beautiful city home,” he said.

Howlin’ Wolves Choir member Shauntel Hibbitt, 13, said her family has lived in Eastvale for two years.

“My school is really good,” she said.

A double row of vendor booths stretched along the street selling food, drinks and clothing. Local organizations offered opportunities to win prizes, and the kids’ fun area drew a steady population of frolickers.

During the opening ceremony, state Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, said what he likes best about Eastvale residents “is that you’re fighters.” Roth was talking about the challenges the city faced getting started, including an effective one-third cut to its budget when the state redirected vehicle license fee revenue from cities to law enforcement grants.

Those at the event got quite a few chances to test their toughness – from simply staying upright in the heat of the afternoon to a Marine Corps pull-up challenge. People who could chin themselves 30 times won T-shirts, and smaller prizes were offered for fewer pull-ups.

Corona-Norco-area Marine Corps recruiters called on county fire explorer Anthony Silva, 15, to try the test.

“You’re going to do it biceps style?” asked Sgt. Paul Echeverria, meaning an underhand grip on the bar. “Good for you. You have to pull yourself all the way up and lower yourself all the way down until your arms are straight.”

Anthony did nine pull-ups easily and worked hard to add two more, winning himself a Marine Corps water bottle.

Anthony’s family has lived in Eastvale for five years, he said.

“I like the people here,” he said. “The people are nice.”