Posted: July 7th, 2008

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Board voted 8-1, and the Advisory Board voted unanimously, to keep Temescal Gateway Park open for all. The Conservancy upheld the decision by the Executive Director and Staff not to renew a non-renewable lease for a private day care center at the Park, denying the appeal by a private Palisades group. Several hundred people attended the hearing at the Park.

Transit to Trails with inner city families from Anahuak Youth Association at Temescal Gateway Park May 2007.

A diverse and growing alliance urges the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to support public access for all to the Temescal Gateway Park.

Temescal Gateway Park is a crown jewel in the precious little parklands of the Los Angeles region. Temescal Gateway Park was purchased and is maintained with public funds by a public agency to benefit all of the public. We support access for all to the Park through programs like Transit to Trails that provide diverse inner city youth and their families and friends with fun, educational, and healthy experiences. Park facilities should be used for overnight camping and similar public programs for all.

The Conservancy should stand behind the decision not to renew a non-renewable private lease for Chabad of Pacific Palisades, Inc. (Palisades Jewish Early Childhood Center). Privatizing Temescal Gateway Park for groups that have political clout with the governor and resource secretary, and enough money to lease public park facilities, would be unfair, bad policy, and bad law. The California statutory definition of Environmental Justice requires “the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes.” The Conservancy should not privatize this precious parkland, and should not set a precedent for privatizing other public parks and facilities.

Pacific Palisades has 404.84 acres of parks per thousand residents, compared to .25 acres in Maywood, .66 acres in East L.A., .67 in Lynwood, and .78 in Compton. Those are not typos; the disparities are that dramatic. Pacific Palisades is disproportionately white and wealthy, compared to those communities and the County of Los Angeles. As a matter of simple justice, Palisades groups need to share Temescal Gateway Park with others. Source: The City Project, Park Acreage for Cities/Communities/Neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, Chart 1203C, available at www.flickr.com/photos/cityprojectca/999450014.

We urge the Conservancy to support public access for all to the Temescal Gateway Park and facilities.

There will be a special hearing before the Conservancy on the appeal by the private Palisades group to renew the non-renewable lease. Click here to download the agenda and attachments. The hearing is Monday, July 7, 2008, at 7:30 pm at the park. Please write, call, fax, or email the Conservancy and testify live to support public access for all:

Ron Schafer, Chair, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Temescal Gateway Park. 15601 Sunset Blvd. Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. Tel: (310) 454-1395 Fax: (310) 454-1396 info@smmc.ca.gov.

Download the Public Comments from the diverse alliance (partial list below).

Transit to Trails with inner city families from Anahuak Youth Association at Temescal Gateway Park May 2007.
Click here to see a map of Temescal Gateway Park.

Anahuak Youth Association

Assosacion de Fraternidades Guatemaltecas (AFG)

California Pan Ethnic Health Network

Cinelandia

Coalition Against Militarism in Schools (CAMS)

Congreso de Hermandad Centro Americana

Comite Pro Uno Maywood

Comunidad Salvadoreña La Placita

Cristian Avalos for Congress

Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana

Knights of Columbus

La Placita Church

Latinos for Peace

Los Angeles Gardens and Urban Farms

League of Latin-American United Citizens (LULAC)

Mexican-American Political Association (MAPA)

National Hispanic Environmental Council (NHEC)

Palisadians for Peace

School of the Americas Watch L.A. (SOAW-LA)

The City Project

Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research and

Action (TIGRA)

(partial list)