Palm Court Renovations Unveiled As Part of Pershing Square Neighbor Weekend
Ed Fuentes
Hal Bastian and Scooter investigate the redone Palm Court area at Pershing Square.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Improvements to Pershing Square's Palm Court were unveiled on Sunday, but the space isn't yet the dog park that many in the neighborhood are excited to see.
The ribbon-cutting came during the park's Neighbor Day Weekend, which featured outdoor art, a bicycle ride, yoga and music.
The event brought signs of life to the oft-criticized park. Street theater band Killsonic played loud on Saturday, and Brazilian music group Brasil Brazil played late on Sunday.
The Sunday ribbon-cutting introduced an interim layout for the Palm Court area. While the community has been presented with plans that would include an official K-9 area, the current iteration includes only a sprucing up and landscaping improvements.
Although the Palm Court is actually neither dog park nor dog run, pet owners are welcomed to take leashed pets to the court––beyond the drought resistance plants––to prevent patches of grass from deterioration.
Barry Sanders, President of the Board of Recreation and Parks, said that the current work is part of a longer process. "You keep doing small steps," he said, "and when you come back in five years, its terrific."
Those small steps include the relocation of the Wednesday Farmers' Market from 5th street to Pershing Square and adding to the free summer concert series that grown under the booking skills of Pershing Square's Louise Capone. The 2009 series begins July 15 with Wednesday Spaceland Under the Stars featuring FOL CHEN.
out my window on June 30, 2009, at 09:20AM – #1
The summer lineup is improving by leaps and bounds but why didn't Capone book the lunchtime concert series to compliment the farmers market. I was told by the park that lunchtime concerts are going to be on Thursday the day after the market. It seems like another dumb move not to have concerts while people are buying and eating their lunch at Pershing Square. What a waste of an already lean budget the park has to work with during the year.
eva on June 30, 2009, at 10:29AM – #2
I agree--music with the farmers market would be great. I just hope they can tear down all the concrete "decor" on the Hill side of the park. I think that would make the park more inviting.
loveandhatela on June 30, 2009, at 12:57PM – #3
Well thats cool some progress is better than none.
Just by pure coincidence(hand to god)i did a post today about a music video that used Pershing Square and the Metro station back in 2007.
loveandhatela.blogspot.com/2009/06/thats-our-metro-station-in-music-video.html
streetandsound on June 30, 2009, at 07:01PM – #4
I've performed a lunchtime concert at Pershing Square. The homeless people dirty dance in front of the stage grab their private parts and just go nuts. Performing at Pershing during the Farmers Market would have made it like the Grove or Universal only in a park setting. What a loss. You think Capone would have worked with the Farmers Market rather then against it and created a better venue for the artist. Pershing Square is always taking one step forward two steps back. What's up Weeze? Really bad move.
mary500 on June 30, 2009, at 08:14PM – #5
i dont think the whole good neighbor poop your dog in the dirt thing is going to work. this morning some guy went nuts over some woman who was not being a good neighbor and pooping her dog on the lawn. he complained to the security person but they said they could not make the woman poop her dog in the dirt. they should have put grass in the palm tree area. they should have scheduled music at the farmers market if they really wanted the market to be an inviting summer event. if you want the dogs to poop in an area make it poop friendly. if you want the farmers market to be enjoyable schedule your concerts at the same time people are buying lunch. i dont think park supervision likes dogs or really wants the farmers market to do well. either that or they just dont get the downtown concept