The north lawn of the Palisades Rec Center is lush and green and the City wants to put a building on it.
Well, the Palisades burned and there is little green space left, except for the Village Green and the north lawn at the Rec Center.
Now the City in an effort to “help” rebuild infrastructure has decided to place a portable library building on one of the few spaces where there is grass left, the north lawn on the Recreation Center.
With miles of empty parking lots, even the library parking lot, why not put the building there and leave the lawn at the recreation center for the kids?
According to one source there have been several discussions between local residents and Recreation and Parks General Director Jimmy Kim. Residents have said it’s not a good location. It takes park greenery away from residents, amidst the graded dirt lots that replaced the ashes and shell of homes.
One person said, “There are obviously better locations for this, but someone inside the City is pushing for a temporary space and the City will only consider City-owned properties, so it doesn’t need to pay rent or negotiate terms.
The upcoming Park Meeting will allow residents to have a say. Public comment, limited to two minutes, will be taken.
To attend the upcoming Park Advisory Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom, on Thursday, August 28, Meeting ID: 812 2088 6802
| Meeting URL: https://hklaw.zoom.us/j/81220886802 |
| Phone One-tap (Mobile Only): |
| +12133388477 (US Toll) +13462487799 (US Toll)Also on the agenda is a report from Kim about the update on the roof repair of small gym, Right of Entry updates, repair by DWP of Tennis courts (damaged by them during their occupancy of the Rec Center), ground and soil testing and the temporary library update. Additional questions include Quimby fund status, repaving of the park driveway, a bocce update, status of the bathrooms, irrigation system and recirculating pump station in George Wolfberg Park (are they operational?) and the status of electrical and water service to the ballfields. |
Two patches of grass left for us, and they take one. Ridiculous. Wish we could form our own city.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, to erect a temporary library building on the parking lot of the “old” library. Presumably, that space would be required for construction materials, equipment, work office, and vehicles involved in the reconstruction of a new facility which would immediately abut the lot. As for the green area, it is quite large and easily could accommodate at one end a small “pick-up” and “drop-off” library (mobile home sized) that would only function as a place to facilitate online ordering of books from the Central or other branch libraries. It should not try to function as a stacks operation. Hopefully, the new library construction can be fast-tracked by building on the same footprint using the same plans as before.
Why not put it in the green area of Temescal Park–it’s owned by the City and there is park land on both sides of the road. Excellent use of space–
And who knows how long it will take to build a library. It’s been eight months – can anyone find out if plans have even been drawn up or if money is available for the library – or is that something AECOM has been tasked with?
One should applaud the speed by which Marquez Elementary has come back to be a functioning school.
Sue
Thank you, Sue, for all of your coverage of local stories.
If it is only going to be a small pick up and drop off library anyway, why not instead have a bookmobile truck parked in the library parking lot? The LA library already has a bookmobile. https://lacountylibrary.org/gateway-bookmobile/
LA County could just purchase another bookmobile which could easily be repurposed or sold after our library is rebuild.
Here is a link to an LAist article on LA Bookmobiles
https://lacountylibrary.org/gateway-bookmobile/