Two New Parks Proposed For Hollywood [Updated]

On Wednesday the Board of Recreation and Parks (RAP) Commissioners approved RAP's list of proposed projects (pdf) for the first funding round of the Statewide Park Program.

As previously discussed here, the Statewide Park Act is a new competitive grant program which will award a total of $368M in grants (in two funding rounds) towards the creation of new parks and new recreational opportunities in "critically underserved" communities.

RAP is partnering with the CRA/LA, The Trust For Public Land, and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, to prepare and submit grant applications for at least 38 potential park acquisition and park improvements projects in communities across Los Angeles. Two of the proposed projects on the City's list are located in Hollywood:

• 5401 La Mirada Avenue - Proposed Park Acquisition and Development
  • This proposed project has been discussed here before. 5401 La Mirada Avenue is a 7,500 square foot site located in East Hollywood. The site is being acquired with $413,000 in funding from the CRA/LA.

• 5927 Carlton Way - Proposed Park Acquisition and Development
  • 5927 Carlton Way is a 8,300 square foot site located on Carlton Way, between Bronson and Gower, in Central Hollywood.

 

In order for either of these projects to be competitive under the grant criteria an extensive community based planning effort must be undertaken for each project. For each project, the City, and its partners, will need to hold community meetings to get input from a broad representation of area residents on the design of the recreational features, safety enhancements, and beautification elements for the proposed project.

Community meetings for the La Mirada Project have not yet been scheduled, but should be soon. I'll keep you posted when I find out the dates and times.

Community meeting for the Carlton Way Project have already been scheduled. The schedule for the Carlton Way Community meetings is:

• Workshop #1: Thursday, December 17th, 6-7:30PM @ First Presbyterian Church at 1760 Gower Street.
• Workshop #2: Saturday, January 16th, 10:30AM-12:00PM @ LeConte Middle School at 1316 North Bronson Avenue.
• Workshop #3: Tuesday, January 12th 26th, 6PM-7:30PM @ First Presbyterian Church at 1760 Gower Street.*

The Hollywood Studio Project has posted the flyer for the Carlton Way Meetings (note, the date is wrong for the Workshop#3)*. Note that refreshments and childcare will be provided at all of the Carlton Way Community Meetings. For more information about the Carlton Way Community Meetings contact Tori Kjer at 323-223-0441, extension 11.

Again, your input is critical to the success of these projects. I hope that the entire Hollywood Community will come out and support these new park projects. The Hollywood area has a desperate need for new park space, especially down in the flats, so these projects (if funded) would be a welcome addition to the area's open space system.

Finally-- want to do a quick reminder that there will be a second funding round for the Statewide Park Program. If you know of additional sites in the community which could be acquired for new parks now is the time to reach out to your Hollywood Area Neighborhood Councils and Council Offices to help get the process moving.