How C-3 Intersects Between Interests, Mission Bay Park, and Clare Crane with Judy Swink

The Finest City

As we continue our journey through the C-3 Oral History Project, we welcome Judy Swink, a longtime C-3 champion, researcher, and librarian. Judy walks us through her early days in C-3, including how she joined amidst a battle over the location of the Naval hospital in Balboa Park. Judy also discusses how C-3 intersects many different interests, a few of the largest lessons she has learned in her work with Mission Bay Park and Beyond, and a few of her favorite takeaways from Clare Crane’s work.

Timestamps:

[3:50] Judy talks about how she came to San Diego in 1970 and became connected with San Diegans through the sailing community.

[6:53] Judy discusses her focus on regional parks and developing knowledge on both Mission Bay Park and Balboa Park.

[9:56] How did Judy’s role evolve from administrator to becoming an active board member and long-time member? What else has she done as she was on and off the board for two decades?

[14:28] Judy has acted in institutional history in many of the causes that C-3 has been active in.

[19:22] What are some of the largest impacts that Dr. Claire Crane created in San Diego? Judy talks about the mark she left behind on education, civil rights, democracy, and women’s rights.

[26:00] What does Judy mean by her definition of “the maturation of democracy”?

[29:12] One of the things that C-3 really got behind and did some major fundraising for was towards a civic center downtown so it was not just government offices, but a small convention center and a Civic Theater.

[32:08] Judy talks about Esther Scott and how she made Lloyd Ruocco’s vision happen, along with a number of women who have been extremely important to San Diego.

[36:12] What drew Judy into C-3 was the balance of the natural environment, the built environment, and the economic benefits that incorporate the natural world into the built world.

[44:10] As a sailor, Judy was familiar with the walling off the East Coast and private beaches, so she was aware of what had to happen when it became a city-wide effort to establish a coastal height limit and preserve our coasts from becoming a Miami Beach.

[45:31] What are some of the greatest lessons learned from the battles that set the tone for the development of San Diego?

[50:57] There are communities, such as East County, who are coming to recognize the importance of the principles C-3 has advocated for so many decades.

[52:29] What were some of the economic difficulties post-war in San Diego?

[57:10] What other groups have partnered with C-3? Who is still closely aligned with C-3 in many areas of interest? Judy discusses the League of Women Voters, and the Sierra Club.

[1:03:01] What role did C-3 play in garnering the distinction of an All American City Award in 1969?

About C-3

In its 60 years of existence, Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C-3) has brought together local thought leaders from planning, design, policy, academia, community development, and more to address our region’s distinctive and pressing land use challenges. In founding C-3 almost 60 years ago, architect Lloyd Ruocco’s vision was to bring together our region’s most creative minds from the arts, sciences, academia, and government to share ideas, learn new perspectives, and build fellowship around the idea of creating livable communities.

Opportunities for Advocacy and Engagement:

C3sandiego.org

Dr. Clare Crane

Lloyd Ruocco

Ellen Browning Scripps

Sally Spiess

League of Women Voters

Sierra Club