July 29, 2022 | Edition 81

Welcome to the Community Link Newsletter

Our weekly newsletter aims to keep residents and businesses connected to us and all that is going on in and throughout the City. You can connect with us and learn more about our community, cultural events and celebrations, and news of interest by reading this newsletter, visiting our website at cityofirvine.org, and following us on our social media channels listed at the bottom of this email. We look forward to connecting with you. 

Join us on National Night Out!

Join the Irvine Police Department at National Night Out, Tuesday, August 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the following locations:

• Woodbury Community Park: 130 Sanctuary

• Turtle Rock Community Park: 1 Sunnyhill

• The Ranch Park: 5161 Royale

This free event will feature police vehicles and fire engines, appearances by SWAT and K9 Units, Drone Team demonstrations, crime prevention tips, face painting, and other family-friendly activities. Food trucks will have items available for purchase. Learn more here.

Fall Art Exhibition Opens August 1

A fall art exhibition, Chloe Jeongmyo Kim: Transplanted Panorama, will be on display at Irvine City Hall as part of the Art at City Hall series. The exhibition opens Monday, August 1, and runs through Friday, November 18. Community members are invited to an opening reception 1–3 p.m. Saturday, August 13, at Irvine City Hall.

Since 2012, Korean-born artist Chloe Jeongmyo Kim has been living throughout the United States, traversing urban and suburban landscapes and embracing the multicultural aspects of American life. In 2015, Kim moved to Irvine and has been producing art in this City ever since. The exhibition combines abstract painting with photographs Kim has taken in both Irvine and Korea.

The exhibition, opening reception, and parking are free. City Hall is open to the public 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday. For more information, visit cityofirvine.org/artatcityhall.

Show Off Your Cute Pet in the Irvine Animal Care Center Photo Fundraiser

Tell your pet to say, "cheese!" The Irvine Animal Care Center is seeking photo entries for its annual Photo Fundraiser. Submit your favorite photo of your pet, then get your family and friends to vote for your pet’s picture. All proceeds support life-saving programs at the center.

All eligible photos with a minimum of five votes by the end of the contest will be included in the 2023 Irvine Animal Care Center wall calendar. The top 13 winners will have their pets featured with a full-page photo for a month in the calendar. Each entrant will receive a print calendar, and additional copies will be available for sale online.

Photo submissions and voting are open from August 1–August 31. The entry fee is $25 per photo, and votes are $1 each. To enter your pet’s photo or cast your vote, visit irvineanimals.org/photofundraiser.

Dial 9-8-8 for Help

9-8-8 has been designated as the three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across the United States. Users can call or text 9-8-8, or chat online to be connected to trained counselors that will listen to understand how to provide support and connect callers to resources. 

The previous Lifeline phone number, 1-800-273-8255, will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis.

Equal Access to Irvine Services

The City Council commemorated the 32^nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act this week with a proclamation and a presentation about ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility and support inclusion within our community. City staff highlighted programs and services provided by Disability Services and a number of improvement projects designed to ensure community members with disabilities have equal access to facilities, such as:  

• The future Universal Playground serving children of all physical abilities at Sweet Shade Neighborhood Park. 

• Enhancing accessibility at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park.  

• Updated curb access ramps that meet the latest ADA requirements. 

• Restroom improvements at facilities and Irvine Station. 

• Modernized wheelchair lifts in the multi-purpose rooms of Heritage Park Community Center, Lakeview Senior Center, and Turtle Rock Community Center. 

• ADA access ramps, accessible parking stalls, and areas for ADA accessible stadium seating at Ryan Lemmon Baseball Stadium. 

• New ADA compliant, two-tiered drinking fountains and accessible picnic tables citywide. 

• 75 Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) throughout the City, communicating walk and don't walk information to blind and low-vision pedestrians in a non-visual manner, such as audible tones and speech messages. The City has recently revised the standard to a touchless APS, and all new or upgraded intersections will use a touchless button.  

To learn about classes, programs, and resources available through the City's Disability Services, visit cityofirvine.org/disabilityservices. 

Upcoming Meetings & Events 

View the City Calendar