OXNARD — Community members can attend free events on March 29 and April 2 to celebrate the life and accomplishments of late civil rights activist César Chávez.
The Oxnard Main Library will show the feature film “Common Man, Uncommon Vision: The César Chávez Story” at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, in meeting room B, 251 S. A St. The Main Library will also hold a César Chávez-themed bilingual family story time at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, in the children’s amphitheater. Additionally, there is also César Chávez book display in the Main Library’s children’s room that will be available through the month of March. For more information, call (805) 385-7532.
The United Farm Workers will hold the César Chávez Memorial March on Sunday, April 2. The march will begin at 10 a.m. at Colonia Park, 170 N. Juanita Ave. Participants will march south on Juanita Avenue, west on Third Street, south on A Street and west on Fifth Street before arriving at Plaza Park, 500 S. C St., where the post-march ceremony will begin. For more information, call (805) 486-9674.
César Chávez has a special connection to Ventura County, because he lived in Oxnard as a child and returned as an adult to organize protests and boycotts to secure better wages and working conditions for farm workers. He attracted the attention and cooperation of people from all walks of life in the U.S. and in Europe. His accomplishments are a testament to the power of one individual’s ability to effect positive change.
City closures announced
Many City departments will be closed for César Chávez Day on Friday, March 31, 2017. Details are listed below.
City of Oxnard closures, reminders for César Chávez Day
Police and Fire department personnel will be on duty to provide patrol, fire, paramedic and other emergency services for the holiday. For life-threatening emergencies, always call 9-1-1. “If You See Something, Say Something” by calling the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7740 for non-emergencies. Residents are reminded that Spanish translators are available, and callers can report a crime or suspicious activity anonymously.
The Environmental Resources Division of the Public Works Department will collect residential trash according to its regular schedule. There are no scheduled delays for César Chávez Day. The customer call center for the Environmental Resources Division will be open for the holiday and can be reached at (805) 385-8060. Utility customers can pay their bills online at www.oxnard.org/online-payments or through the automated phone system at (805) 385-7816. Residents and businesses who need to report water-related emergencies should call (805) 385-8136. For wastewater- and storm water-related emergencies, call (805) 797-7598.
The Oxnard Service Center, 214 S. C St., and the Housing Department and Housing Authority, 435 S. D St., will be closed on March 31 for the holiday.
The Cultural and Community Services Department, which includes the Recreation and Library divisions, will be closed March 31. All Oxnard Library branches, which are closed every Friday as part of their regular schedule, will observe César Chávez Day on Thursday, March 30. The community centers operated by the Cultural and Community Services Department will be closed March 31. No site reservations are accepted for community centers for holidays.
The Carnegie Art Museum, 424 S. C St., will be closed March 31.
The business office at the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center, 800 Hobson Way, will be closed March 31, but the box office will be open from 12-6 p.m.
While the public is welcome to enjoy most park space on a first-come, first-serve basis, holiday reservations are required for the park areas listed below. Reservations must be received by Wednesday, March 29, for César Chávez Day. Call (805) 385-7950 for reservations.
- College Park: fenced-in facility
- Del Sol Park: fenced-in picnic area
- Rio Lindo Park: two group areas
- Oxnard Beach Park: two covered areas
- Crescent Park: all picnic areas
- East Park: all picnic areas
- Vineyard Park: all picnic areas
- Windrow Park: all picnic areas
The City of Oxnard is a full-service general law city incorporated in 1903. Oxnard is the largest and most populous city in the County of Ventura, serving 200,000 culturally diverse residents. Read more about the City of Oxnard at www.oxnard.org. Follow us on social media at www.twitter.com/CityofOxnard (@CityofOxnard), www.facebook.com/CityofOxnard and www.vimeo.com/cityofoxnard.