[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15907-15908]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         CELEBRATING THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2017

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I, along with Representative Sanchez, 
rise today to recognize the City of Bellflower on its 60th anniversary. 
We hope our colleagues will join us in paying tribute to the city and 
its residents.
  The City of Bellflower was incorporated in 1957 after a measure to do 
so was endorsed by most of the civic organizations in town and 
supported by the local newspaper. Several of the supporting groups that 
played a critical role at the time still exist today, including the 
Bellflower Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, Masonic Temple, and 
Bellflower Woman's Club. At the time of incorporation, Bellflower was 
already a 51-year-old community, fully matured in all areas but that of 
city government.
  Over the years, Bellflower has become a vibrant city with an 
innovative approach to enhancing services and generating revenues to 
support its growing community. There has been a long tradition of 
implementing programs that uphold the mission of the city, which is 
``to protect and enrich the quality of life, to make Bellflower an 
excellent place to live, work, and play.'' Bellflower places a high 
value on programs that attract new businesses, provide recreation 
activities and community services, preserve the environment, and 
protect the safety of city residents.
  Through fiscal conservatism and the establishment of a redevelopment 
strategy, the city continues to grow and expand by attracting new 
businesses, improving business facades,

[[Page 15908]]

and upgrading infrastructure. Since 2011, as a result of these 
strategies, Bellflower has seen more than $60 million of direct 
investment into its community. This includes the construction of Auto 
Zone, Biomat USA, and Kaiser Permanente offices, as well as unique 
restaurants like Golden Corral and Fronk's.
  More recently, the city has placed a high priority on economic 
development and the revitalization of its downtown area. The new 
Bellflower Events Center and Los Angeles County Fire Museum will open 
in mid-November, and they are destined to become centerpieces of the 
resurgence and redevelopment of the city. The Events Center will 
provide an elegant indoor and outdoor venue for small groups, 
gatherings and larger parties, while the Fire Museum will house a 
tremendous display of Los Angeles County Fire Department history.
  The city is also excited to welcome SteelCraft, with its rapidly 
growing reputation as a unique dining and social experience, into 
Downtown Bellflower. A lease was recently approved by Bellflower's City 
Council for SteelCraft to develop its third shipping container retail 
park on a 15,000 square foot city-owned lot located on Bellflower 
Boulevard and Oak Street. SteelCraft will perfectly complement 
Bellflower's unique retail stores and delicious home-grown restaurants.
  Capital improvements have also been at the top of Bellflower's 
priorities. With the completion of the Bellflower Boulevard Pedestrian 
Enhancement Project in July of 2016, Bellflower's streets, sidewalks, 
and crosswalks have undergone immense improvements, adding to the 
beautification and safety of its downtown area.
  We hope our colleagues will join us in sending their best wishes and 
congratulations to the City of Bellflower on its 60th anniversary. Let 
us salute its optimistic spirit, and its commitment to embracing the 
future through smart investments, innovation, and creativity.

                          ____________________