Gatto Breaks Gound on Sunnynook River Park

Sunnynook River Park groundbreaking: golden shovels lifting ceremonial soil. Visible from left to right City Engineer Gary Moore, Councilmember Garcetti, Councilmember Reyes, Councilmember LaBonge, Recreation & Parks Assistant General Manager Kevin Regan, FoLAR founder Lewis MacAdams, and State Assemblymember Mike Gatto

July 25, 2012  Before a crowd of about 90, the city of Los Angeles broke ground on Sunnynook River Park this morning. The new Atwater Village park will be located in the mostly vacant area on the southwest bank of the Los Angeles River, between Glendale Boulevard and Los Feliz Boulevard – immediately downstream of the Sunnynook footbridge. The ceremonies were lead by Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge, and included remarks from representatives from various city, state, and federal agencies and groups.

Friends of the L.A. River’s Lewis MacAdams speaks at the Sunnynook Park groundbreaking

Speakers included LaBonge, City Councilmembers Ed Reyes and Eric Garcetti, City Recreation and Parks Assistant General Manager Kevin Regan, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority’s Lisa Soghor, FoLAR’s Lewis MacAdams, Trust for Public Land’s Carolyn Ramsay, City Engineer Gary Moore, and Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Mark Toy.

L.A. Creek Freak wrote about the planned 3.4-acre Sunnynook River Park back in 2008 when it was being planned, and in 2009 when LADWP approved the park existing under their power lines. Though it’s not a big project, it’s been delayed a bit by state and city budget shortfalls.

Location of the planned Sunnynook River Park (from LAist)

It’s a fairly small all-natural, all-passive park, accessible mostly via the L.A. River bike path and via the footbridges that cross the 5 Freeway and the river. The site has had its problems over the years. It’s bordered by the 5 Freeway and the river, so it has been home to homeless encampments, mostly on the freeway-side of the site, maintained by the state transportation department Caltrans. Hopefully the park improvements can create a green space where everyone feels welcome and safe.

Construction gets underway now, and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2013.

Article from LA Creek Freak - Read this story at LA Creek Freak HERE 

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Mike Gatto is the Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and parts of Los Angeles, including Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Silver Lake, Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, and Van Nuys.  He has served in the Assembly since June 2010.  E-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call (818) 558-3043.

Website of Assemblyman Mike Gatto: www.asm.ca.gov/gatto