Thursday, October 11, 2012

Silver Lake Celebrates its Newest Sidewalk




October 10, 2012 - The completion of a new sidewalk does not usually draw a crowd, let alone three TV news crews a pair of Los Angeles city councilmen, and a State Assemblyman.  But the new, approximately 500-foot sidewalk along Tesla Avenue marks the completion of a years long effort to build a walking path around the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe reservoirs.  Much of the path around the reservoirs was completed at the end of 2008 except for a section on Tesla Avenue, where the lack of a sidewalk forced pedestrians into the narrow street.



While the s$600,000 sidewalk and retaining wall have already been in heavy use for a few weeks now,  a grand opening celebration with councilmen Tom LaBonge and Eric Garcetti, and Assemblyman Mike Gatto was held late this afternoon on the north edge of the Ivanhoe reservoir near the new sidewalk.

Building the new sidewalk was not a simple as pouring a strip of concrete.  At one point, officials were considering building an elevated boardwalk on Tesla. That idea was abandoned in favor of cutting a notch into what is basically part of the dam that contains the Ivanhoe reservoir. That plan, however, needed to be reviewed and approve by state dam officials.



The closure of the 500-foot gap in the walking path means joggers and walkers no longer have to venture into the street to circle the reservoirs. But, as the photos above show, some folks still like to go off road around the reservoir.

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You can read this story and more at the Eastsider LA by clicking HERE


Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz and Silver Lake.  E-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call (818) 558-3043.

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

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