September 9, 2004

STREET SCENECalle de la Paz

There’s a great sense of community and continuity on Calle de la Paz, which is located just off of Redmond Avenue.

Residents stay here for a long time, becoming more like family than neighbors.

Edward (Ted) and Kathy Collinson were so excited to move here in 1972, they often came on their lunch hour to watch their new home being constructed. “We thought we’d found the greatest place to live,” says Ted. At the time, the area was mostly rolling hills and orchards. Their son, Mike, used to go hiking with his friends at the corner of Camden and Meridian through what they called “Lizard Valley” because they caught so many lizards there. Now 32 years later, the Collinsons are still delighted to be here, as are their neighbors.

Next-door neighbors Sandi and John De Voy moved into their home a week before the Collinsons. “We’ve been here since dirt,” notes Sandi, “and we haven’t found any place else we’d care to live. Once you’re here, you’re here.” Their neighbors must agree, because most of the cul-de-sac’s 13 homes have had only one or two owners in three decades. “We’re going to live here until we can’t get up the stairs anymore, and then we’ll just have to live downstairs,” laughs neighbor Barbara Swasey.

Greg and Mari Bowers have lived on Calle de la Paz since 1988. “We love the neighborhood, and the neighbors are great,” says Greg. “Every home’s beautiful. There’s a real pride of ownership.”

Besides an easy-going, fun-loving nature, along with a ready sense of humor, the residents share holidays, birthdays, graduations, and wedding celebrations, in addition to impromptu parties on Friday nights. They’ve babysat each other’s children, and over time, watched those children grow up to have children of their own.

Dave and Barbara Swasey appreciate the family-oriented focus of the residents. “Everyone watches out for everyone and each other’s kids,” attests Barbara. “We know how far each kid can go down the street. Everyone’s also very considerate of each other. We take in each other’s mail and garbage cans when someone’s away.” Their daughter, Megan, was 4 when they moved in, and enjoyed playing outside with the other children. The children grew up together and often played hide-and-seek on the cul-de-sac when the sun went down. To make the game more interesting, they’d dress in all black.

One of the highlights of life on Calle de la Paz is the Fourth of July party that original homeowners Ted and Kathy Collinson throw every year—it’s also what brings the neighbors together and makes them so close. The Bowers haven’t missed one in the 16 years they’ve lived there. “Ted and Kathy are very gracious hosts,” enthuses Greg.

“It originally started the first or second July 4 after we moved in,” recalls Ted. “Nobody had their yards finished yet, so we had our first celebration out in the cul-de-sac and we had barbeques out there and ping-pong tables.”

They also set up a volleyball net, played street hockey and basketball, and invited everyone to go swimming in their pool. Fifty people attended this year’s party, including past neighbors who traveled from Washington. Ted’s son, Mike, has only missed one Fourth of July party in 29 years, and his grandson, Blaine, born on July 3, celebrated his first Fourth of July at the court when he was just 1 day old.

This year’s Fourth of July celebration at the Collinson’s had something extra. Although Mike always trims the fronds on their majestic palm tree for his father as a Father’s Day gift, this year he added the American flag. “It took three hours to put it up but it was worth it,” affirms Mike. “I wanted to put the flag up for everyone to see. I did it for the troops, and my father’s a war veteran. I did it for my dad.”

When he had just finished attaching the flag to the top of the palm tree, Mike looked down to find a crowd applauding. “They had their lawn chairs and everything,” he chuckles. But it wasn’t just the cul-de-sac’s residents who appreciated Mike’s gesture. Reportedly, the National Guard was flying by in a helicopter and circled around and saluted the flag. The Collinson’s also received a handmade patriotic thank you card from neighbors up the hill which read, “Thank you very much for putting a smile on our faces every time we look out our kitchen window at the flag you have flying so high. It does our hearts proud!!” They plan to keep the flag flying on top of the palm tree through Election Day.

“It’s an unusual cul-de-sac, with unusual people,” states Barbara, “which in my opinion makes for perfect harmony.” For example, new ‘kid’ on the block, Matt Gundersen celebrated his birthday this year with his friends and neighbors. Along with the decorations, Matt’s fiancée, Kelli, included a series of pictures of him posed with dolphins and sharks that together read, “The Man, The Myth, The Legend.”

Friends and family, including their close neighbors, celebrated Ted and Suzanne Sumner’s wedding in their own backyard. ‘Uncle’ Ted is best known for tending to the neighborhoods children’s bruises and injured knees. His favorite aspect of living here is the picturesque views of Almaden. “When I come home from work at night and look south, it’s really beautiful,” he contends. “It’s the best place to live.”

Ted Collinson agrees. “When I relax in the backyard and look at the hills I think, ‘This is why we live in California,’” he muses. “When we go to the Almaden Art and Wine Festival, and sit and listen to music and look at the hills, and I tell my wife how happy I am that we’re here. It’s just beautiful.”

—By Lorraine Gabbert