Community Asks for Dog Space and Water Feature in Grand Avenue Linear Park
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
This stretch of Grand Avenue is proposed to be narrowed from 80 feet to 51 feet, providing space for a linear park that would run between 9th street and Olympic.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The linear park proposed for Grand Avenue may not be very big, but that didn't keep the 60 people who showed up for a brainstorming meeting on Thursday night from proposing all manner of big ideas.
The block-long park would stretch from 9th street to Grand Avenue, a touch over 500 feet. A roadway plan approved by LADOT would free up 20 feet on the east side of the street and eight on the west.
While ideas mentioned ran the gamut from benches to basketball courts, an area for dogs and a water feature were the two that came up most often. The canine facilities would likely be on-leash -- given the small size of the space, participants were against putting fencing around it.
Attendees were also adamant that the facility should be open twenty-four hours a day, unlike Grand Hope Park across the street. They suggested that a mid-block crossing be installed to tie together the two spaces.
Representatives from the Federal Reserve and the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising -- the two big institutions on the block -- were in attendance at the session, the first of five workshops happening in quick succession.
The compressed timeline is a result of the state funding that the project is pursuing. Proposition 84, passed by voters in 2006, provides up to $5 million for local park projects. Because the city already owns the Grand Avenue right-of-way, that funding could be all that's needed to make the project happen. The state just released the requirements for funding in late fall, however, and applications are due by March 1.
A bus tour of similar parks in Culver City and Santa Monica will take place on Saturday, followed by a second meeting on Wednesday, January 13.
A flyer and the full workshop schedule can be found on the DLANC Sustainability Committee website.
Katfam (@katfam) on January 08, 2010, at 03:47PM – #1
Olympic and Grand Linear Park Community Workshops
Workshop #1 1/7 6-8:30pm Workshop #2 1/9 2-4:30pm (Site Visit to Other Similar Parks) Workshop # 3 1/13 6-8:30pm Workshop #4 1/18 6-8:30pm Workshop #5 2/4 6-8:30pm
1149 S. Broadway, Rm SB6
Two Cents on January 08, 2010, at 09:12PM – #2
Benches in the shade on the FIDM side. Extend the bollard perimeter on the Federal Reserve side to the new curb 20 feet further out and fill the area with fields of grass for dogs with some type of water sculpture but nothing that could conceal a backpack from the security cameras.
Greensmark on January 09, 2010, at 09:10AM – #3
I was disappointed to hear that if a dog area was included in this park, it would have to be leash-on. THIS IS NO GOOD, PEOPLE!! It needs to be fenced so that the furry citizens can RUN & PLAY!! I am going to attend the rest of the meetings so that I can push for this. It is important to note that the dog park in Laurel Canyon (while enormous in comparison) has a smaller fenced off area for smaller dogs. This could work in this application. Sorta of a Linear Dog Run!!
Grnsmrk
Brandon Lee on January 10, 2010, at 11:03PM – #4
Fencing this site sounds like a bad idea. They want this to be a pure dog park in Downtown LA? Does anyone know where the city is planning to go with this idea in the future?
Lawrence on January 11, 2010, at 11:36AM – #5
After the first meeting most attendees including myself agreed that this park should not be fenced in, nor should it be an off leash dog park. I'm all for having an off leash area in downtown, but this space simply doesn't seem large enough to fill that purpose. Several did agree that have a leashed dog area would be good, which I'm also in favor of.
The general vibe was that people want nice green space with good landscaping, shade trees and maybe a water feature. The park should be open at all times and be flexible from a programming standpoint (i.e events during the day or at night to draw people as a gathering spot).
The next planning meeting is this Wednesday.
Amy on January 12, 2010, at 02:17AM – #6
I'll tell you- no one wants a park more than I; I have a dog and a child. I understand this land is available, and seems like the easiest way to get a park. But if we get this park, is there no chance for another? I just wonder if we have a "take what we can get" attitude with this and if we take what we can get, this will be all we'll EVER get. I lived in a 400 square foot apartment once- do you realize how SMALL that is? And I agree, if it's on-leash, it's not filling the hugest need for downtown LA dog-owners.
All I know is there has been talk about Quimby funds, and how the South Park buildings have put a great deal of $ into them- is THIS what it would go to and there would be no more talk of another park? Or is this a bonus park?
I fear that we're setting our sights too low out of desperation. It doesn't seem like an ideal space for dogs or kids.
I admit, I haven't attended any meetings so I'm not the most educated on this project. If I'm wrong, please let me know.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on January 12, 2010, at 08:52AM – #7
Amy: I think the idea with this project is that you've already got the land, so no cost there, and you could pull off the improvements within the $5 million that's available from Prop 84. So no Quimby funds are in the picture here. It's more a chance to get something for nothing and then keep focusing on other efforts.
K on January 12, 2010, at 08:53AM – #8
My first thought is that we desperately need a dog park downtown, as this is one of the most dog-friendly neighborhoods in LA, at least that I've ever lived in. It would be similar to a dog run like we had in NY when I was growing up, and they were usually just tucked into a narrow/small space like this one. We already have a couple of other downtown parks that cater to people, including the Los Angeles State Historic Park only 2 miles away, which is typically a ghost-town when I go running there. Why not give the downtown dwelling dogs a place to stretch their legs (and their owners a place to relax and mingle)?
PS, last year I heard from several sources that a large dog park was in the works in the arts district, somewhere near SCIARC - does anyone know anything about this?
Amy on January 13, 2010, at 05:28AM – #9
Thanks, Eric.
And K, I agree that adults have enough parks in the area. there are constantly people laying on the (pee-free) grass at FIDM. As someone who has both a dog & a child, I agree that the dog park is this neighborhood's greatest need. Here in South Park we are advised that our dogs solely "use" the 2 ft x 8 ft patch of artificial turf on 11th. A PetaPotty joined the scene, thankfully, but that's not enough- I've heard there are more dogs per capita than any other neighborhood in LA. It should be off-leash or else it's similar to meeting at the patch of artificial turf. That's just my two cents.
Good luck to us!
I better go to a meeting!