Two weeks after the fire that destroyed Valley Center’s landmark restaurant, the owner of Fat Ivor’s has vowed to rebuild.
“We will definitely rebuild it,” says Georgine Thomas, and it will be much the same as it was before. “The sooner the better.”
Construction will probably take from six to eight months, said Mrs. Thomas, the widow of the late Tommy “Ivor” Thomas, after whom the restaurant is named.
Insurance is picking up the $500,000 tab to rebuild the restaurant and pay the cooks and other employees, she said. There will be a hardship for the waitresses working at the restaurant, she said.
“They are all being very true and loyal.”
The building was built in the late 1930s or early 1940s, according to Mrs. Thomas. Fat Ivor’s has owned the building since 1981.
Mrs. Thomas was not on the property when it burned down March 6. “I had been there earlier, but I left at about 8 p.m. At that time there were no problems.”
The fire started in the patio. The insurance company says it was caused by a burning cigarette. The fire department, according to Mrs. Thomas, says it was an electrical problem. Witnesses who live behind the property reportedly heard a power pole popping shortly before the blaze was called in.
Mrs. Thomas told The Roadrunner, “I would like to thank the people of the valley for all their support that was given to Tommy and I during his long enduring illness and the love and support they have given us has been wonderful.
“I feel that our customer base is very strong and when we come back we will be able to retain our customer base and be back up and running in no time at all. We love the valley and we love the people in the valley as much as they love us.”
There is another Fat Ivor’s where you can enjoy the same cuisine. It’s located at 1405 S. El Camino Real Blvd, at the corner of Oceanside Blvd. in Oceanside.
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The restaurant lost many irreplaceable prints, paintings and photos, many of them of John Wayne or Ronald Reagan.
Any donations to restock the restaurant’s walls would be greatly appreciated, said Mrs. Thomas.
A plaque with the donor’s name on it will be placed under each donated art work, she said.
The VC-P Unified School District and the VC Parks & Recreation District have agreed in concept to be partners in attempting to get $2 million in matching funds from the state for the VCHS performing arts theater.
The school district’s fund-raising efforts have raised close to half a million so far.
The parks board voted Feb. 27 to support the school district’s efforts, at least insofar as applying for the grant together. They left details of a possible joint powers agreement to a later date.
School Supt. Karen Jobe made the presentation at the meeting. The parks district would not actually spend any of its money. It would be a conduit for a matching fund grant from the State.
VCP&R Gen. Mgr. Joyce Johnson told The Roadrunner she hopes that the public won’t be confused about this partnership and think that the district has some additional money that it can spend, because it doesn’t.
The school district cannot apply for this money on its own. It needs another public agency to partner with.
It is possible for the school district to work with the parks district because the theater is conceived of being a resource open to all members of the community to use.
“News of the grant is expected in July,” said Mrs. Jobe.
The VC school board Saturday night split the $5000 “Just Say No” dinner dance prize with Tom Williams, owner of Video Playhouse.
Henry Van Wyk, who picked up the winnings for the school board, and then immediately donated them to the district’s performing arts center fund, also won the $500 consolation prize at the end of the evening. He bought the ticket at “halftime” in the name of his grandchildren.
David Meeks won the $503 fifty-fifty split.
The evening, sponsored by the Kiwanis, was held at the U.S. Grant Hotel.
Valley Center’s oldest church has unveiled plans for an ambitious project on Cole Grade that will accommodate its expanding membership and allow more outreach to the community.
Valley Center Community Church’s project will, when complete, have four buildings, including a main sanctuary designed to seat 1,200 people, a multipurpose room, two wings, each dedicated to junior and senior high school students. Also included will be administrative offices.
It will total 53,000 square feet.
The first phase will include a temporary sanctuary that will seat 400 with two wings for children’s church and the nursery.
When the second phase, the permanent sanctuary, is complete, the first phase will be given over entirely to the youth ministry. The church is interested in developing an internship program for student pastors and this building would be used for that also.
Phase III will be a permanent youth building.
Phase IV will be administrative offices.
The timing of the phases will be determined by the funding, which is being raised entirely from the membership, with a minimum of borrowing. The ultimate price tag is anticipated at between $8-10 million.
The church, founded in 1879, has had two homes, including property next to the current cemetery. The original adobe structure is still standing south of the cemetery and has been converted into a private home.
The church has been at its existing home on VC Road across the street from the bank since 1946. The main part of the present sanctuary was a military chapel salvaged from the naval training center at Camp Elliott in San Diego.
It can only seat 220, which has forced the church to have three services each Sunday. A fourth service is not outside of the realm of possibility.
Valley Center Community Church’s senior pastor John Sale told The Roadrunner last week, “As we move into this project I want the community to know of our longstanding history.”
The existing site is 1.3 acres. The new site, purchased two years ago, has 20 acres. That alone helps explain the reason for the move.
Outreach is another reason.
Youth pastor Rob Schloemer notes that the church has programs for 20-40 junior high and 30-60 high school age students each week.
It sponsors activities such as “Fifth Quarter,” held after football games, in which refreshments and games are provided in a safe environment.
“Our youth building currently is about 15 feet by 30 feet. Not very big. Our goal is to do more outreach and to maximize our potential,” said Schloemer .
One building of the new project will be devoted to youth. This building will include a gym and multi-use facility.
“It will allow us to do a lot more,” said Schloemer .
“There are not a whole lot of places where kids can go to that’s safe and where they can have a good time. This will give us that.”
According to David Wojnickii, children’s minister, the church currently has 120 children who attend service. They begin the service in the main sanctuary, and then go off for their own time.
Guy Guthrie, music pastor, is also looking forward to the new construction. Currently he leads a choir that sometimes numbers at nearly 100. This creates a situation of a choir half the size of its audience. He has also organized a church orchestra.
Unveiled to Planners
At the February meeting of the VC Planning Group, architect John McKinley made a preliminary presentation on the project. They hope to make a formal application to the County in mid-March.
The project will have access from Cole Grade & Fruitvale. The part nearest Cole Grade will be playing fields. The western third of the 20 acres will be septic and leach lines.
The buildings will be oriented to the northeast to take advantage of the view and the fact that the church will be surrounded by hills.
A parking lot behind the church will hold 344 cars.
“This sanctuary is not only to serve our fellowship,” said Pastor Sale. “It is also to provide a place for the community at large to meet for appropriate functions— to help service our community.
Drivers along Hwy 76 have noticed a new totem pole rising proudly from the front yard of Betty Jean Robeen. The totem pole, created by Chris the Woodcutter, is in honor of her father, the late Henry Rodriguez.
As Chris describes it: “Henry stopped by to sit around the fire, listen to music and join in on the doin’s at my Thanksgiving get- together. After we ate enough turkey, sang enough and listened to enough good music, it was his turn to monopolize the conversation in his unique story tellin’ way.
“He told story after story ‘bout things that had to do with pine trees, and sandpipers and the latest sighting of the mountain’s newly acquired bear. He spoke a lot about his, ‘relations’ and some of mine, too. His stories always left you with the feelin’ that the earth, the kids, the animals, his traditions and his family were a little more than just sacred.
“A year ago on Valentine’s Day the road out front of the tribal hall took him away from us. This was a man who should have been sharin’ his lore with the grandkids of his grandkids. At 82 he was on his way home from work!!!
“As fate would have it, I had purchased some cedar logs from Tommy Osuna, who cut wood on the res. at Santa Ysabel. One of these logs had been seasoned enough to be the perfect carvin’ log. A fella up on Palomar had handed me just the best book on totem poles. The back page of this book had a picture of a pole in the Haida tradition, of a thunderbird on top of a bear holding a boy. The symbolism just seemed to fit.
“There are roads that a person is just meant to walk down. For me, Henry’s Totem was just one of those roads. I was commissioned by Betty Jean, Henry’s daughter and Victor Vernacci, his grandson to do the piece.
“A special thank you to all of the children on the res. at Santa Ysabel who helped me carve it. Another thank you to the members of Henry’s family who helped me paint it and stand it up.
“With a little luck, the pole will be standing, overlooking the valley at the base of Palomar long after I am a pile of dust. Here’s to you, Henry.” Chris
The Valley Roadrunner
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