Politics & Government

Lake Forest Marks 20 Years of Cityhood

Residents and city officials celebrated Lake Forest's 20th anniversary Saturday evening with a dinner party at the Oakley headquarters.

Residents and city officials celebrated Lake Forest's 20th anniversary on Saturday evening at a dinner party hosted at Oakley's headquarters in Foothill Ranch.

A reception, 20th anniversary presentation, dinner and dancing were the culmination of a year-long celebration of the city's two-decade mark.

In its first 20 years, Lake Forest has "more than lived up to its motto," City Manager Bob Dunek said.

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Both aspects of that motto—"Remember the past, challenge the future"—were on display Saturday night as approximately 200 guests celebrated the past 20 years and considered the years to come.

During a short presentation, Mayor Kathryn McCullough and Orange County Fifth District Supervisor Pat Bates praised the city's progress since its inception in 1991.

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As she expressed her devotion to the city, McCullough singled out in the audience her predecessor of 20 years, founding mayor Helen Wilson.

A slideshow displayed images from years past—El Toro Road before its revamp, for example—and others from recent times, such as the ceremonial groundbreaking for Rancho Parkway.

Lake Forest has "changed the gateway to South Orange County," Bates said, calling it "one of the jewels" of the Fifth District.

Officially incorporated on Dec. 21, 1991, Lake Forest has this year held a number of celebratory events heralding its 20-year mark.


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