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Councilwoman Lowenthal Requests Update on 14th St. Park Master Plan
(January 3, 2005, w/ Jan. 14 updated info) -- 1st district Councilman Bonnie Lowenthal has agendized an item for the January 4th City Council meeting, requesting a city management update within thirty days on progress of the Master Plan for Fourteenth Street Park, including anticipated next steps for gathering community input.
In her agendizing memo, Councilwoman Lowenthal writes:
Fourteenth Street Park is a small neighborhood park that was once a passive
park in the middle of the Washington School neighborhood, but it now has
skateboard facilities; two playgrounds; basketball courts; Parks, Recreation and
Marine staff assigned to it; Bikes 90800 Program; as well as Park Rangers to
patrol the premises. There are plans in progress for further additions to
Fourteenth Street Park.
I am submitting a formal request for an update in 30 days from the City Manager
on the progress of the Master Plan for Fourteenth Street Park, including
anticipated next steps for gathering community input.
I welcome my colleagues' support for this request.
The item follows two neighborhood picnics organized in November and December 2004 by Better Balance for Long Beach, a group created by LB activists for the declared purpose of giving neighborhood residents a respite from nuisance activities and crime.
The events drew the attention of several LB media outlets. In December, LBReport.com ran a news/perspective piece that included transcribed statements from area residents describing conditions -- roughly one mile north of LB Civic Center -- where City Hall fails to abate nuisance or illegal conduct on [Jan. 14/05 update: LB Parks & Recs advises that as of early January 2005, 14th St. Park's new supervised hours are Saturday: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday: 3 - 5 p.m.]
At the November and December events, LBReport.com heard residents say parents and children witness visible drug dealing, sexual activity, and charitable food and utensils left as litter while some individuals hurl verbal assaults at children on their way to nearby Washington Middle School. Much of this takes place on or near the LBReport.com also quoted some Better Balance organizers who, when asked by us, were critical of Councilwoman Lowenthal's record.
Councilwoman Lowenthal attended the November event and told LBReport.com, "I have always worked closely with the neighborhood and I'm doing so now" and noted that westward beyond the street median, "the city recently obtained a grant that will bring the neighborhood a brand new park just down the street near Magnolia."
She added, "I have zero tolerance for nuisance or illegal conduct here or anywhere in this city."
Related LBReport.com coverage: News / Perspective: Awakening A Sleeping Giant: LB Activists Vow To Empower Nuisance & Contact us: mail@LBReport.com |
As we reported, "14th St. Park" is a street median between Magnolia and Pacific Aves. on which LB Parks & Rec has fenced some areas and installed playground equipment. City Hall includes it on its Parks & Rec web pages as "14th St. Playground" among LB parks...listing its operating hours as M-F from 2:30-4:30 p.m., closed Saturdays and Sundays.