CAN STUDY HELP REVIVE L.A. RIVER? ENVIRONMENTALISTS HOPING FOR WATERWAY RENAISSANCE.Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer Environmentalists and community leaders said Thursday they hope a $3 million study of the Los Angeles River The Los Angeles River is an intermittent river flowing through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the west end of the San Fernando Valley, 51 miles (82 km) southeast to its mouth in Long Beach. will find ways to create a lively residential and economic renaissance along the 30-mile span. Funded with a Department of Water and Power economic development grant, the city plans to hire a consultant next spring to conduct an 18-month analysis of ways to improve the river's environment, along with five riverside development and park projects, including one in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . The study's scope will consider removing concrete from the river channel to re-create the natural flowing waterway, a difficult change that would have to be approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for ensuring the river doesn't flood surrounding communities. A more scenic, natural river could attract developers to the river banks - a prospect city leaders are banking on. ``I'd like to use these economic development funds to see how we blend recreational opportunities along the river with economic development opportunities, to see housing come to the river, to see beautiful restaurants where we could have a river view while we dine,'' Mayor James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California said at a news conference to tout the plan. Environmentalists said the river revitalization is the most exciting project in the city's future, one that has the potential to dramatically change 30 miles through the heart of the San Fernando Valley, East Los Angeles East Los Angeles, uninc. city (1990 pop. 126,379), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, in an industrial area. It has a large Mexican-American population. There is a performing arts center and a cultural center. A junior college is there. and downtown. ``We need to change the blighted aspect of the river that brings the community down into something that heals the community,'' said Nancy Smith, spokeswoman for Anahuak Youth Soccer Association, which has pushed for more ball fields and green space along the channel. Joel Reynolds Joel Reynolds (born June 5, 1984) is an Australian rules footballer. Reynolds is the grandson of Bomber legend Dick Reynolds. At the conclusion of the 2006 season, and after five seasons and just 38 games for the Bombers, Reynolds was delisted only to be picked up by Geelong in , an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a New York City-based, non-profit non-partisan international environmental advocacy group, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Beijing. Founded in 1970, NRDC today has 1. , wants to see mixed-use development Mixed-use development refers to the practice of allowing more than one type of use in a building or set of buildings. In planning zone terms, this can mean some combination of residential, commercial, industrial, office, institutional, or other land uses. along the river, combining housing, jobs and shopping in a walkable neighborhood. ``Revitalizing is not just creating green space,'' Reynolds said. ``You also need economic development for it to work.'' Kerry Cavanaugh, (818) 713-3746 kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com |
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