It is always a good time to get your Brick installed in the Alumni Walk. They make excellent gifts, especially for new graduates but also those about to attend an upcoming class reunion. What a great way to feel school spirit as you find your brick while on a campus tour. Order yours by sending in this Alumni Brick Order form. Now, many years after its conceptual beginning, the RUHS Alumni Walk is finally the solid reminder of our “Past and Future!”
October, 1997: The Alumni Walk is Dedicated …
It is hard to believe that the Alumni Walk was only a dream in 1995. In the summer of 1997 construction began on the project and lasted several months. Dedicated October 17, 1997, the Alumni Walk became an instant success. Hollywood has its ‘Walk of Fame’ along Hollywood Blvd. now Redondo Union High School has its own ‘Walk of Fame’ on the Alumni Walk.
The Walk runs north from the former administration offices building to the Noble Plaza. The area selected leaves plenty of space for expansion and addition aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
of many more engraved bricks.
After overcoming some initial difficulties, the Walk is now re-opened for all to enjoy. For a relatively small cost you too can have your own brick installed in the Walk to salute to a group or favorite teacher and be forever a reminder to those that pass by of the phrase, “Sea Hawk forever!”
… then what was wrong with the first laying of the Walk?
What happened? Why was the Walk torn down and the bricks stacked on pallets? During the summer of 2004, the RUHS campus began undergoing a number of extensive construction projects. Also during that time they needed to work under and around the Walk itself so the bricks were removed with the promise they would be laid back down exactly as before. Not so!
Sadly, the contractor hired by the school did not even come close to putting the bricks back in the place previously designed for it. In fact, poor construction practices and additional traffic over the area further degraded the condition of the bricks themselves.
That meant the Walk had to be completely removed and the base rebuilt correctly before re-setting the by now worn bricks. It was at that time the Alumni Walk Chairman, Pat (Caldwell) Ramsey, ‘43, stepped in to look over the damage done and call a halt to re-setting damaged or destroyed bricks.
Also by this time, school officials had changed, contractors had been replaced and most of RUHS construction projects were seriously behind schedule. The Alumni Walk looked like it was never going to be rebuilt.
Instead, however, perseverance paid off and the school District agreed to its part in completely redoing the Walk and restoring it to its original vision. Pat worked closely with the District to redo the entire Alumni Walk. The new bricks have been ordered, replacing every aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
single brick damaged or destroyed during the extensive renovation of the RUHS campus.
What a nightmare this was! All 600+ bricks were individually examined, their condition evaluated and then a determination made whether to redo the engraving or to keep the brick. Approximately 25% of the bricks needed to be replaced and the others were refreshed. Then all are being re-set.
The whole project was completed before the end of the 2005 school year. Now the work is complete, we are able to “Honor … Past and Future Students of Redondo Union High School!”