(Sept. 10, 2009) -- It’s a very rare occasion when, out of nowhere, City Hall offers a community one hundred thousand dollars for neighborhood improvements. And it's a far rarer occasion when that community turns the offer down.

However, that's exactly what happened seven years ago when the Atherton Corridor neighborhood, just north of CSULB, told the city, "thanks, but no thanks."

The proposal was to spend $100K to surround the detested Atherton Ditch with decorative fencing and public art that would provide a cosmetic fix. The neighborhood responded by telling the City to do it right, or don’t do it at all. Area residents realized immediately that the City's plan did not address their primary concerns of flooding, mosquitoes, odors and public safety.

The ill-fated, $100K Atherton Ditch compromise plan was actually a byproduct of the hotly contested Mayor's race of 2002. Mayoral candidate Dan Baker had walked the 4th District neighborhood and got an earful from area residents about the ditch that the city had refused to cover. He responded to their concerns by mailing out a flyer that stated, "The Atherton Street Ditch has to go!" Beverly O’Neill, who was running as a write-in candidate, countered with her own plan to deal with the ditch, but she did not provide many details.

Either way, residents were delighted (and amazed) that the Atherton Ditch, after being ignored by City Hall for decades, had suddenly become a political "hot button." Unfortunately, their euphoria quickly turned to cynicism as the specifics of one of the plans became public. Shortly after the election, which O’Neill won, it was revealed that her proposal was actually a compromise that involved decorating the ditch as opposed to covering it.

The plan was presented to the neighborhood at a community meeting by a group of City Hall heavyweights including the city manager and various departments heads. The only problem with the O’Neill plan was that it had been developed without any input from the neighborhood, and the presentation fell flat on its face.

The area residents unanimously rejected the proposal and turned down the city’s $100,000 offer. Considering the City had no "plan B", and their offer was "take it, or leave it," it was a pretty bold move for the residents to say, "leave it."

With the wishes of the neighborhood clearly understood, and the resolve of the residents clearly demonstrated, it was obvious which way the issue had to go. The City’s position of pursuing only local revenue was reevaluated, and a search was begun for outside funding sources.

As fate would have it, a different election in 2002 (not the Mayor’s race) would end up having a far greater impact on the Atherton Ditch. That Fall, Juanita Millender-McDonald was re-elected to the 37th Congressional District that covers most of Long Beach.

Although the Atherton Ditch was not in her district, the congresswoman included funding for the project in a 2004 federal transportation bill. Five years later, those funds are now being used to complete Phase II of the Atherton Storm Drain Project.

As far as why it took five years to actually get the money from the transportation bill, that’s a different story for a different day. Right now, we just want to celebrate the commencement of a project that was made possible by the determination and perseverance of a neighborhood.

The entire community is invited to the Phase II Kickoff Celebration on Saturday, September 12th at 9:00 a.m. The event is sponsored by Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell, and the location will be on the north side of Atherton St. at McNab Ave., just east of the CSULB Pyramid. (Contact the 4th District office with questions: (562) 570-6918).

For additional information and photos of the project, check out the neighborhood association website at: www.athertonditch.com.

[LBReport.com archival text] In June, 2008, grateful neighbors joined with reps from several neighborhoods plus city officialdom for a June 14 ceremony on the north side of Atherton St. east of Palo Verde Ave. to celebrate the beginning of the end for the detested Atherton Ditch, slated to be covered, landscaped and replaced by an underground drain.

The chronic ELB eyesore, now slated for burial, runs from McNab Street (near the CSULB Pyramid) under Palo Verde Ave. and eastward to Knoxville Ave. where a pump station dumps its contents into the Los Cerritos channel.

"This is an event years in the making," Councilman O'Donnell said, noting that in 1972, other open drainage ditches in the area (including one along Stearns St.) were covered using money included in a local bond measure.

"What happened was, money ran out, and there was a promise made to the residents in this area that the city would soon be back to cover these culverts when more money was found. [some audience laughter] Well today I'm back to fulfill that promise," Councilman O'Donnell said.

Councilman O'Donnell credited a number of people -- city staff and neighborhood residents -- for what he called "a collective effort. Among them (a lengthy list)...

City Engineer Mark Christoffels ("a fine individual who's worked hard to bring this project to fruition")...

....City Hall's Government Relations Manager Tom Modica (in photo: "[Mr. Modica] did an excellent job on this. I can't say enough for your fine efforts") along with multiple city staffers and the late Cong. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D. Carson-LB) who secured federal funding that's part of the project.

Councilman O'Donnell also singled out neighborhood resident/historian Daryl Supernaw...who doggedly pursued the issue for over twenty years through 4th district Councilmembers spanning Dr. Tom Clark, Del Roosevelt, Dennis Carroll and now Patrick O'Donnell.

Mr. Supernaw, who launched the "Atherton Ditch Adjacent Neighborhood Ass'n" (website at www.athertonditch.com) credited Councilman Patrick O'Donnell ("Four different Councilmembers I've had the pleasure of working with. My only regret is this guy didn't come first instead of fourth").

Mr. Supernaw thanked reps from neighborhoods outside the 4th Council district for attending. "All these other neighborhood organizations are here to show their respect and solidarity in what we're doing now." Among those present...

...Neighborhoods First leader Joe Sopo (Los Altos Neighborhood Ass'n South)...

...2nd district Neighborhoods First rep Paul DeJung...

...and the 3rd district's "Good Lookin" Gary Frahm (Bixby Hill Homeowners Ass'n).

Mr. Supernaw's new group www.athertonditch.com says on its website that its mission "is to have the Atherton Ditch covered in a sustainable manner and, one day, change our name to the Atherton Corridor Neighborhood Association."

Mr. Supernaw also thanked Councilman O'Donnell's Chief of Staff Bridget Sramek and Field Rep Moises Romero, the crew of Fire Station 22 ("they're thrilled because they won't be pulling motorists out of the ditch anymore").

And he bestowed his group's 1st Annual "Golden Ditch Award" on Councilman O'Donnell...

...along with Gov't Affairs Manager Modica and Neighborhoods First co-founder Joe Sopo who likewise received plaques commemorating the first-ever grassroots Ditch honors.

The engineering remedy to the ditch, elegant in its simplicity, is the handiwork of City Engineer Mark Christoffels. An underground drain will be installed parallel to the ditch to carry the runoff...and the ditch will be covered and landscaped.

Image source: City of LB

Image source: City of LB
Image source: City of LB...

The Atherton St. ditch had become a neighborhood sore point, home to mosquitoes, trash, odors....

...and sometimes vehicles landed in the ditch (as in October, 2005).

Photo source: Daryl Supernaw