Thread for About Avalon Index | New Thread | Reply | Close | Stick | Delete  About Avalon Starfish 8:02pm, July 14, 2009 [Edit] [Delete] Avalon, or Avalon Bay, is the only city on Santa Catalina Island. Avalon's ZIP code is 90704 and it is in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census[update], the city population was 3,127, with another 195 close outside of the city limits. The population is now estimated to be over 3,500. The default for wired phone numbers in the Avalon central office is (310) 510-XXXX. Although ten-digit dialing is required, it is still common for local residents to relate only the last four digits of a phone number in conversation. The older parts of the town nearer the shoreline are dominated by small houses and two and three-story buildings in various traditional architectural styles. There are also several large apartment complexes nestled in the hills away from the shoreline, so that they are not obvious in most postcard photos of Avalon. Avalon is a rural waterfront town with the usual tourist-oriented businesses and services lining the coastline. Apart from the town itself, primary attractions include various trails into the hills surrounding the town, and the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden just outside of town in the hills to the southwest. Avalon was founded in 1887 by George Shatto and named by his mother-in-law after the legendary island of Arthurian legend During World War II, Catalina Island was closed to tourists and used by the military. The United States Maritime Service established a training station in Avalon. The United States Coast Guard and the Office of Strategic Services also had facilities on the island. Due to its location on Catalina Island, it is the southern-most city in Los Angeles County. Avalon has a very mild subtropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. Edited 10:32pm, July 14, 2009 by Starfish, author.  Intracity Transportation Starfish 8:35pm, July 14, 2009 [Edit] [Delete] The main method of transportation in Avalon is by small gasoline or electric powered motorcars referred to as "Autoettes." These include numerous golf carts and similarly sized vehicles. Most vehicles under 53" wide and 120" long may qualify as an autoette. Any resident may acquire an autoette permit with the restriction of one permit per household. It is very difficult to get a permit to have a full-size vehicle in Avalon. As of 2009 there were approximately 2500 individuals on the waiting list with a wait time of 18 years. The permit is issued to the individual as opposed to a specific vehicle, is surrendered when residency on the island ends, and is not transferable except through petition before the city council. For purposes of vehicle registration, Catalina Island is divided into two classifications: within Avalon and "Interior" (areas outside the city limits). The city has its own strict permit program with which local vehicle owners must comply, in addition to the usual requirements imposed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Visitors can walk, rent a bicycle, rent a cart, ride a shuttle bus, or hire one of several private taxis.  Demographics Starfish 8:43pm, July 14, 2009 [Edit] [Delete] As of the census of 2000, there were 3,127 people(719 families) residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 71.63% White, 0.74% Black 1.02% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 20.37% from other races, and 5.40% from two or more races. 45.95% of the population were Hispanic or of a Latino race. There were 1,158 households out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.38. In the city the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,327, and the median income for a family was $46,406. Males had a median income of $30,789 versus $24,643 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,032. About 9.2% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.  Government and Infrastructure Starfish 8:46pm, July 14, 2009 [Edit] [Delete] Avalon is served by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (a few deputies are stationed on the island with additional units brought from the mainland on an as needed and seasonal basis) and has its own full-time and volunteer fire departments for incidents within the city limits, while the Los Angeles County Fire Department serves the rest of the island. In the state legislature Avalon is located in the 27th Senate District, represented by Democrat Alan Lowenthal, and in the 54th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Bonnie Lowenthal. Federally, Avalon is located in California's 46th congressional district and is represented by Republican Dana Rohrabacher. The United States Postal Service Avalon Post Office is located at 118 Metropole Street.  Avalon Theater Starfish 9:07pm, July 14, 2009 [Edit] [Delete] The theatre has one movie screen and a seating capacity of 1154. It was built at a cost of 2 million dollars. The theater also has a 4-manual, 16 rank theater pipe organ built by the Page Pipe Organ Company of Lima, Ohio. It is played every Friday and Saturday evening. The building has a movie theater on the first level, and a dance hall on the top level. To reach the top, there are two ramped walkways that extend from the circular core, with two small lobby spaces as well as bathrooms just below the dance floor. The building was decorated with sterling silver and gold leaf. The theater lobby is paneled with walnut wood. If you want to know more about the Avalon Theater/Casino, click here! Edited 9:20pm, July 14, 2009 by Starfish, author.  Schools found in Avalon Starfish 10:32pm, July 14, 2009 [Edit] [Delete] Children in Avalon attend schools in the Long Beach Unified School District. Avalon is served by the K–12 Avalon Schools, which is divided into elementary, junior high, and high schools, but with a single principal. Aside from these schools, the island also has the Catalina Island Marine Institute. The Catalina Island Marine Institute is a non-profit educational program run by Guided Discoveries on Santa Catalina Island, California. Thousands of children travel from the Southern California mainland as well as all around the country to Catalina every year to study marine biology. During the school year at CIMI, they participate in hands-on programs including snorkeling, labs, boat rides, squid dissections, and more. Trips can be 3 or 5 days. CIMI operates out of 3 facilities on Catalina Island including Toyon Bay, Fox Landing, and Cherry Cove. There are also summer camps during the summer. Summer camps at Toyon Bay are divided into two age groups, Jr. Sea Camp: 8-12 and Sea Camp: 12-17. The Jr. Sea Campers spend a week under supervision of a counselor learning about marine biology, ichthyology, invertebrates, oceanography, and geology. Activities include testing sea water, dolphin watching, fish dissection, hiking, sailing, snorkeling, tide pooling, social activities, and competitions. Older campers attend Sea Camp for three weeks and have a class schedule. The classes are typically 2-4 hours long and can be chosen from sailing, windsurfing, SCUBA diving, marine biology, adventure, kayaking, snorkeling, rock climbing, music, art, leadership training, and cooking. Returning campers have more options for classes and may also receive certifications in sailing and SCUBA. Other activities include dances, ice cream socials, carnival, Olympics, counselor competitions, day trips to Avalon and other areas on Catalina Island. They also have a large college campus, University of California at Santa Catalina. If you want to know more about the University, click here! Edited 8:54pm, July 20, 2009 by Starfish, author. Index | New Thread | Reply | Close | Stick | Delete