Hollywood Production Closes SP Streets
And Ventura ponders re-opening Main Street
Hollywood Comes to Us
Today, Santa Paulans had front-row seats to a television shoot for Apple TV. A Fox Television crew closed portions of Mill and Santa Barbara Streets to regular vehicle traffic while they shot a careful and well-choreographed car stunt. As the camera rolled, the blue car careened up Mill and narrowly missed two other cars heading south. Production assistants and traffic control personnel allowed the curious to peek in on the shoot but shooed away anyone unwittingly getting in the shot, or getting too close to the stunt cars.
Film is in Santa Paula’s proverbial blood, having served as a shooting location and a sort of “Hollywood North” since the Silent Era. In the early 1900s, Gaston Méliès, brother of the legendary filmmaker, Georges Méliès (A Trip to the Moon), made upwards of 90 films in and around Santa Paula.
In 1911, the Glen Tavern Inn was born, and so, too, was its legend — as a gambling house, a brothel, and later, as accommodations for several Hollywood stars, including John Wayne, Carol Lombard, and Steve McQueen.
Since then, the city has hosted hundreds of film and television shoots, with productions taking advantage of both Santa Paula’s small-town charm and its iconic landmarks, including the Odd Fellows clocktower and the train depot.
It’s heartening to see our Hollywood tradition continuing, as it helps bring in business and revenue for the city. Plus, it’s a kick to watch multiple takes come together — live and unedited.
The Fate of “Main Street Moves” (MSM)
Begun during the Covid pandemic, the “Main Street Moves” initiative ensures that a portion of Main Street in Ventura remains closed to vehicle traffic, allowing pedestrians to browse, shop, dine, and drink along the thoroughfare. For the most part, it’s been a win, with the public enjoying easier access to businesses, and (many) businesses enjoying the increased foot traffic.
Yesterday, the City Council held a hearing to explore the development of a permanent pedestrian mall along Main Street. The hearing was intended to be part of the required comment period, allowing both the public and Main Street businesses to either express their support or voice their concerns. Apparently, discussion of the mall was derailed when 56% of the business owners in attendance openly opposed the proposal — and MSM itself. The City Council then tabled the discussion until September 16, when they will apparently vote on whether or not to end MSM and start allowing vehicle traffic once again.
If you want to preserve pedestrian-only access to Main Street, now is the time to make your thoughts known. Ending MSM was not on the meeting agenda yesterday, so the public had no idea that its fate was even in jeopardy. Many people could be blindsided by the upcoming vote.
You can share your thoughts via the City’s survey.