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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 08a - Denny's Windmill Proclamation PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, Van de Kamp’s Holland Dutch Bakery, founded in 1915, was a Los Angeles institution for much of the twentieth century. Its trademark Dutch windmill appeared on its bakeries and coffee shops across the region. Today, only one windmill survives intact, atop of what was once a Van de Kamp’s coffee shop, built in 1967, later on becoming a Denny’s restaurant in the late 1990s; and Whereas, in the early 1960’s, Van de Kamp’s sought expansion of their restaurant locations. Pasadena architect Harold James Bissner, Jr. developed a unique “circular” food service interior design to be housed in a hexadecagon – 16 sided – perimeter with a folded plate roof topped by an illuminated windmill which spun like a clock as wel l as horizontally like a top to maximize identity for folks passing by. The “circular” restaurant building permitted uncongested travel while preparing, cooking, serving, and clearing tables by restaurant employees. The first of these fifteen restaurant buildings was built in the City of Arcadia; and Whereas, after 20-plus years of the windmill being inoperable, Denny’s invested more than $100,000 to recondition the windmill blades, add new motors, and install LED lighting on the blades and base to illuminate the landmark at night; and Denny’s and the City of Arcadia celebrated the windmill rotating again on June 29, 2016; and Whereas, a year and a half later, on December 29, 2017, the windmill fell and damaged Denny’s restaurant roof. Denny’s provided funding to make repairs to the windmill and building, and once again the iconic windmill was set in motion on November 30, 2018. NOW THEREFORE, I, April A. Verlato, Mayor of the City of Arcadia, do hereby proclaim June 29th as Denny’s historic windmill DAY in the City of Arcadia, and thank Denny’s for their continued support and outstanding efforts in preserving this well-known Arcadia historical landmark. Dated this 29th Day of june, 2019 _______________________________ APRIL A. vERLATO, Mayor