Councilman LaBonge's Weekly Newsletter

[The information below was provided by the Office of Councilman Tom LaBonge.]

"Get to Know" at Griffith Park

Click here to see a larger image of the flyer

Councilman Tom LaBonge and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks are hosting a “Get to Know” your wild neighbors event and expo, urging kids and their families to get outdoors, get active, connect with their wild neighbors and celebrate nature. The event is part of the 2012 national “Get to Know” contest that invites young people – 19 and under – to submit original works of art, writing, photography, music and video with a nature theme. The event in Los Angeles at the iconic Griffith Observatory will feature free educational and artistic activities at more than 20 booths and a rock climbing-wall that will help create awareness and understanding of our outdoor environment and wildlife … not to mention a lot of fun for everyone. Councilman LaBonge and Recreation and Parks Rangers will top-it-all off with a hike to the top of Mount Hollywood!

CicLAvia

Sunday April 15th ... 10am - 3pm. CicLAvia will transform the streets of Los Angeles into a safe, fun, car-free space for walking, bicycling, skating, jogging and seeing the city in a whole new way. 10 miles of city streets will be blocked off from Hollywood ... through downtown Los Angeles ...down to the 10 freeway and east to Boyle Heights. All are welcome ... and the event is free.
Click here to rent a bike from BikeNation

A Blue-Ribbon Day at North Atwater Park

Los Angeles City Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Eric Garcetti led today’s celebration that marked the completion of the North Atwater Creek Restoration and Park Expansion project. A much-needed improvement in the Glendale Narrows area of the Los Angeles River, the North Atwater Park project provides multiple benefits to the city’s major tributary as well as the community.

The project will keep the LA River clean and healthy; help the city achieve its clean water objectives for the river and the ocean; provide additional wildlife habitat; and promote healthy living through recreational opportunities by the major waterway. The new green space sets the tone for all other anticipated improvements up and down the LA River as part of its revitalization. Joining the celebrations were environmentalists, regulators, area residents, Public Works commissioner John Choi, Recreation and Parks general manager Jon Kirk Mukri, Bureau of Sanitation assistant director Adel Hagekhalil, and City Engineer Gary Lee Moore.

"This new park transformed what was basically a ditch into a natural way to clean urban runoff and provide people with a place to get outside and enjoy the beautiful LA River," said Councilmember TomLaBonge whose district covers Atwater Village. "I applaud the collaboration of all the city departments to secure the funding and get this keystone project completed."

The $4-million project regraded an 800-foot narrow open channel, reshaped it, and removed invasive plant species to improve water flow. Structural stormwater best management practices including a trash removal device and native vegetation were implemented to improve the quality of water draining from the 60-acre sub watershed out to the LA River. It also added a three-acre green space to the existing North Atwater Park, highlighted by permeable pavers in the parking lot, decorative fencing, a new picnic area, and an outdoor classroom.

City Engineer Gary Lee Moore, who is leading the implementation of the city's LA River Revitalization Master Plan said, "The North Atwater Creek Restoration and Park Expansion is a priority river project for the city. The new open space reconnects neighborhoods to the river and restores respect for the river as a cherished natural resource."

The North Atwater Creek Restoration and Park Expansion also helps achieve the Bureau of Sanitation and the city’s water quality goals for its bodies of water. This project will mitigate trash and bacteria from urban runoff from the North Atwater sub watershed that flows through the North Atwater creek and directly out to the river. “This project affirms our commitment to clean water and healthy waterways in our great city,” said Adel Hagekhalil, assitant director of the Bureau of Sanitation. “Through the support of our policymakers and the community, and collaborations with our sister agencies, we are pleased to celebrate this cornerstone environmental project that defines how we are taking back our river, making it cleaner, greener, thriving, and richer in wildlife.”

Jon Kirk Mukri, general manager for Recreation and Parks said, “Our department is proud to be a part of the completion of this project as part of the LA River Restoration efforts. We are excited to see families come out to enjoy this urban oasis and hope they will appreciate the hard work that has gone in to make this land an open space where they can marvel at what is LA."

The North Atwater Creek Restoration and Park Expansion project was a joint effort of the Department of Public Works Bureaus of Sanitation, Engineering, and Contract Administration, and the Department of Recreation and Parks. It was funded largely by the Supplemental Environmental Project funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in connection with the settlement of two Clean Water Act enforcement actions (Santa Monica Baykeeper v. City of Los Angeles and United States, and the State of California ex Rel. California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region v. City of Los Angeles). Additional funds were provided by the Proposition 50 California River Parkways Grant Program.

Honoring a "Hero Dog" and supporting
Dog-Rescue efforts

On a day when one of his staffers -- Anna Nunez -- adopted a dog featured in the traditional City Council "Adopt-a-Pet" effort, Councilman LaBonge honored a hero-dog from the 4th Council District, who went from "rescued" to "rescuer". His name is Spencer and he was rescued off the streets by the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services, and taken in by actress Linda Blair and her WorldHeart Foundation. Spencer was eventually placed with the Swan family, who live in the historic Whitley Heights area. Last month, in the middle of the night, Spencer began barking and growling, waking Tim Swan, who went to investigate. Finding nothing, Tim went back to bed, but Spencer barking and growling. When Tim came back out, he saw what had agitated Spencer. An intruder was trying to break into the house through the kitchen door! Spencer kept up his barking while Tim called 9-1-1. The intruder ran off into the night, but responding police captured him not far away, in possession of stolen property from another break-in. The robber has since been sentenced to prison ... and Spencer is credited with averting what could have been a very dangerous encounter. Councilman LaBonge honored Spencer the Hero Dog and Linda Blair for the outstanding rescue-work of the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation.

Upcoming Events

Get to Know
WHAT:“Get to Know” Event and Expo, culminating in a hike to the top of Mt. Hollywood
WHEN:Saturday, April 14, 2012; 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
WHERE: Griffith Observatory, 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027
(Park at Greek Theater and we'll shuttle you to the Expo)
WHO: Councilmember TomLaBonge, representatives from the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the LAPD, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Los Angeles Zoo, City of LA Rangers, US Forest Service Rangers, Bureau of Land Management, Aududon Society, LA Conservation Corps, the Griffith Observatory, the National Forest Foundation, the Friends of the LA River, the Friends of Griffith Park, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Thomas Starr King Middle School, Wildlife Forever, the Mayor’s Million Trees Initiative and Angels Gate Cultural Center.
Why: Why not?

Filming Notice
Be advised that the Eastbound lanes of 6th Street, between Fairfax and Burnside Avenues will be closed for filming on 
Friday, April 20th, 2012
from 9am - 5pm

International Pow Wow comes to Los Angeles Convention Center
April 21-25
U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow is the travel industry's premier international marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the U.S. - it is NOT a typical trade show. In just three days of intensive pre-scheduled business appointments, more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations from every region of the USA (representing all industry category components), and close to 1,200 International and Domestic Buyers from more than 70 countries, conduct business negotiations that result in the generation of over $3.5 billion in future Visit USA travel. At International Pow Wow, buyers and sellers are able to conduct business that would otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips.
Click for more info

Forward the LaBongeNewsletter to your friends
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todd.leitz@lacity.org

Los Angeles Heritage Day
Sunday April 29th
11am - 4pm
Join us in the Pico House at El Pueblo Historical Monument to celebrate our region's 500 years of history. Visit more than 75 heritage booths and 5 adjacent museums, take free tours and enjoy food, giveaways, a scavenger hunt and much more.
Click for more info

Los Angeles River Cleanup
The 23rd Annual "La Gran Limpieza"
Saturday April 28th, 2012
Various Locations
click for more info

Neutra 4k - 8k
1st Run/Walk
Earth Day, Sunday
April 22nd
7am
Start and end location: Silver Lake Meadow across from the Neutra House
2300 Silver Lake Boulevard
Los Angeles

Hike for Health
Thursday, April 26th
8am - 11am
Griffith Observatory
(Charlie Turner Trailhead)
Griffith Park, Los Angeles

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