Page 7 - The Friday Flyer ● April 6, 2018

APRIL 6, 2018 THE FRIDAY FLYER A-7
How Canyon Lake became ‘A Bit of Paradise’

BY JILL TORKELSON Canyon Lake. It has since evolved into
REPORTER, THE FRIDAY FLYER the informal slogan “A Bit of Paradise,”
Canyon Lakers often use the phrase or as some like to call it, “A Little Bit of
“A Bit of Paradise” when describing Paradise.”
Canyon Lake but few know where the Dee Dee and her husband Mike were
phrase actually came from. drawn to Canyon Lake for its boating,
In the 70s, resident Dee Dee Davis waterskiing and equestrian center. They
used the word “ Paradise” to describe purchased a lot in 1968 and stayed at the
campground on weekends until they built
their waterfront home in near Happy
Camp in 1976. Dee Dee loved Canyon
Lake so much that she referred to it as
“Paradise.” When Dee Dee became the
social editor of the former Canyon Lake
Chronicle in 1978, she ended her articles
with “From Paradise.”
In 1985, Dee Dee was approached by
Carolyn Knight, who was the executive
editor of The Friday Flyer. According
to Dee Dee, Carolyn asked her, out of
respect, for permission to use the word
“Paradise” in the newspaper. “Carolyn
added ‘A Bit of’ to the phrase and ‘A bit
of Paradise’ was born, said Dee Dee.
Passionate residents, such as former
mayor Mary Craton, adopted “A Bit of
Paradise” when referring to Canyon
Lake. Years ago when the city was plan-
ning to add entryway monuments to Rail-
road Canyon Rd., Mary, who was mayor PHOTO BY DONNA RITCHIE
of the city at time, pushed to add “A Bit
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DEE DEE DAVIS monument project. "A Little Bit of Paradise" was included on the city’s entryway monuments installed in January
of Paradise” to the monuments. Lack of
funding forced the city to postpone the
2017 on Railroad Canyon Rd. at the western an eastern boundaries of Canyon Lake.
In 2016, the monument project was
Little Bit of Paradise” was included on ber of people, including members or
revisited when it was discovered that the
the city’s entryway monuments installed someone at the POA or city hall. Never-
city had a $36,000 grant available. For-
Horton suggested “A Bit of Paradise” be at the western an eastern boundaries of tle Bit of Paradise” have become iconic
In the 70s, resident Dee Dee Davis used the mer mayor and longtime resident Nancy in January 2017 on Railroad Canyon Rd. theless, “A Bit of Paradise” and “A Lit-
terms used to describe Canyon Lake.
added to the monuments to honor three Canyon Lake.
word "Paradise" to describe Canyon Lake. term-mayor Mary Craton’s request for It’s not clear who added the word The phrase is now used on everything
It has since evolved into the informal slogan the phrase to be added to the monuments “Little” to the phrase. Nancy suggested from real estate advertising, apparel and
“A Little Bit of Paradise.” years earlier. City council agreed and “A that it could have come from any num- license plate frames.

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