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'REDLIN!NG' OF ELYSIAN PARK
DECREED BY PARKS DEPARDIE!IT
October 6, 1975 -- Mo. 64
THE RECREATION JIJ(D PARKS Department is "redlining" E_lysian Park for the next
five years. If.the Department has its way, no new Federal or State money vill be
spent betueen nou and 1981 to implement the Elysian Park ){aster Plan. Past neglect
uould be compounded by future neglect. The discrimination is all the more galling
since the Department anticipates windfall grants of between $20 million and $25 mil-
lion during these five years.
ACCORDI!IG to a Department spokesman, its five-year recommendations for capital
improvements qere sent to the Mayor's office prior to September 1. The Department did
not consult in advance with the Commission which is supposed to determine Department
policy. The Commission will consider the five-year program October 24, seven weeks
after the Department has _acted.
FOR THE NEXT fiscal year, 1976-77, the Department expects a Federal Block Grant
of $2,500,000. It has already taken steps to see to it that none of this money is al-
located for use in Elysian Park -- or Griffith Park. lt brushed aside our request for
a swim lake at the Buena Vista Reservoir on the flimsiest of excuses. Here, too,
there was no advance consultation with the Commission, which assigned top priority to
Elysian Park. Deadline on this decision is October 14. The Department has also de-
cided to chisel on the annual allocation of $100,000 from local funds designated for
the Elysian Park water system and to assign to other purposes yearly payments of
$60,000 in Dodger money reserved for use in Elysian Park.
HOPE the Recreation and Parks Commission, the City Council and the Mayor
will reject and revise the Department's scandalous "redlining" policy.
POT-LUCK PICMIC OCTOBER 18
COME, SATURDAY, Oct. 18, at 12 noon! A pinata for the youngsters tree ualk
,neu Jones Memorial Grove. Our pot-luck picnic in Elysian Park will again
be held at Site 6 - north of Morton Pl. (westuard continuation of Academy
Road), between Stadium Way and Chavez Ravine Road. Follow the signs.
THE will pr.ovide coffee, bread, utensils. There is no charge, but
please bring one dish of food, enough to serve twice the number in your party.
If you are allerg-ic to cooking, call Geneva Williams, who is in charge,
225-4025. She will make suggestions for easy purchases at nearby markets.
TO COURT, MORE
'"MJIR'I'IM, '" said the late Police Chief William H. Parker 10 years ago, "'We
never did the proper thing in Elysian Park. That's an illegal operation and I'm con-
cerned and worried abotit it,'" That statement uas made by Councilman .Harvin Braude
during the City Council hearing on our appeal of the Police firing simulator decision.
Councilman Donald D. Lorensen, chairman of the Council's Recreation and Parks Committee,
told the same meeting: "We found out that the Police Academy was illegal on grounds up
there because they had never really been authorized either one uay or the other."
IT IS All OPEII SECRET at City Ball that the "Police Academy" vas bootlegged into
the park in violation of the City Charter. Asst. City Atty. James A. Doherty and Depu-
ty City Atty. Brian Crahan (now Judge Crahan) in separate written opinions in 1972 held
that there had been no legal change from park to police use in Elysian Park prior to
the date of their reviev. Yet the City's case, a denial that a conditional use permit
is needed, is based on the claim that the "Academy" uas legally established on 21 acres
of the park In 19)6-37. Despite the evidence, only two members of the Council were
willing to buck the pro-Police tide: Councilmen Robert Farrell and Dave Cunningham.
WE HJID ).(0 CHOICE but to challenge the City Council decision. To do otheruise
would mean that the Police could put up an entire academy on park land, zoned R-1,
without obtaining a eondi'tional use permit and without a public hearing. We have filed
suit for a peremptory writ of mandate, asking the Court to set aside the Council rul-
ing. Hearing on our petition is set for December 4.
FOR COURT CASES .. $
MEMBERSHIP DUES ($!)$
'ELYSIAN PARK MOTE CARDS (12) Donation $1.50+ -------------
Name
Address
Zip Tel.
IJE APPRECIATE THE Kil'fD WORDS
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CITY OF LOS ANGELES
CALIFORNIA CCPMTMtN'I'OF
'-- - RECREATION AND PARKS @:)
@ $TI!;f>K!tN "tl!:INHARDT :tOO NO. MAIN ST, :
Jt PRCil!O&N'f CITY HALl.. E:AST
@ f:. GRt:GORY HOOKSTRATTt:N 3T FL.O R "t;
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t::V!tt.YN V!tt..AROI: BtNSON LOS ANGCL.Il:S, CAL.IF, 110012
15RAO PY!t, JR, 46!5.!Hl7! '='
2i JIL.L. .. WM. FRZ::O;;-CK.SON, JR. @
@ PATRICIA A, WlL.SON T 0 M 8 R A 0 LEY MANACC!!
J' !ICCIO:l!;'I'ARY
MAYOR 3:
s
l August 29, 1975" i
"'
Grace E. Simons, President
@ Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park
1672 Morton Avenue @
Los Angeles, California 90026
@ Dear Mrs. Simons: i
I have just seen a copy of your letter to Supervisor Ward.
It, like all of your presentations, is excellent.
Since I will be leaving the Recreation and Parks Commission
@ shortly, I wanted to tell you how much I personally appreciate
,';! all of your efforts to protect park land. Even when I
disagreed with on specific issues, I found your arguments
more than
I am sure you will continue to educate new Commissioners,
ju'st as you did in my case.
Best wishes,
@ i
Reinhardt
a

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SAVE ElYSIAN PARK
Pot-luck

piCniC
in the park
October 18
'
SITE NO.6, BETWEEN STADIUM WAY AND CHAVEZ RAVINE ROAD
DATED MATERIAL
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Los Angeles, Calif.
Permit No. 30167