CITY SEEING GREEN IN MINIPARKS MORE OPEN SPACE SOUGHT FOR SOUTH GLENDALE.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - City officials plan to start building two miniparks in south Glendale by year's end in an effort to create more open space for residents in densely populated neighborhoods.

The City Council tonight will consider putting the projects out to bid, with the total cost estimated at $1 million.

A March completion date is set for the 12,500-square-foot park on Harvard Street between Pacific and Columbus avenues, and the 16,000- square-foot park for Windsor Road between Chevy Chase Drive and Verdugo Road.

``This is to help meet the park deficiencies in areas of the city where we don't have too many parks,'' said George Chapjian, director of parks, recreation and community services.

``These miniparks are vital in those high-density neighborhoods where people don't have green space or common space.''

The small parks will feature picnic areas, open space and playgrounds.

The city also plans to build a minipark at Cedar and Harvard streets in 2006, Chapjian said.

The parks will be funded in part by county and state grants, with minimal cost to the city. Maintenance is expected to cost about $40,000 per year at both parks.

The parks are the latest in the city's minipark plan, adopted in the mid- 1980s to bring parks to denser areas of town.

The city has miniparks at Wilson and Adams, Milford and Kennilworth and a third at Elk and Everett.

Glendale has 1.36 acres of developed park space per thousand residents, but the city's goal is to reach 2 acres in the next 10 years.

``When we do have the chance to build miniparks in south Glendale, I think we have to do it,'' Councilman Dave Weaver said. ``We have to give apartment dwellers who in many cases don't have patios or lawns, a place to get out.''

Garfield Brown takes his two young children to the minipark at Adams and Wilson - the only green space in his neighborhood.

``In a lot of these apartment buildings there's no space in the back and the kids can't play on the street because it's not safe,'' said Brown, 35. ``It's nice to have these parks and it's important for the neighborhood.''

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

The Glendale City Council will meet 6 p.m. today at City Hall, 613 E. Broadway.

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