Tom LaBonge Newsletter: Pothole, Parks, Bikes & More

[The information below was provided by the Office of Councilman Tom LaBonge.]

Pothole Repair on Wilshire Boulevard

Councilman LaBonge has arranged for City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services crews to fan-out on Wilshire Boulevard on Saturday, May 19th between Wilton Place and Fairfax Avenue.  Six city trucks will start work between 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM, filling potholes, popouts and spider-web cracks on the heavily-traveled thoroughfare.  The work is being funded by Council District 4.  Councilman LaBonge feels it's important to do all we can to keep Wilshire Boulevard in a first-class condition with these temporary repairs while we wait for the work to begin on the Bus Rapid Transit corridor along Wilshire Boulevard.  The Councilman will be doing a little pothole work himself at about 8am in the intersection of Wilshire and LaBrea.

Oversight Committee approves Crystal Springs Little League Baseball Fields

The seven-member Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committee has approved the proposed Little League baseball fields in the Crystal Springs area of Griffith Park.  The vote -- while advisory -- is a very important step in the process to get sports fields for young people in the park.  The $950-thousand dollar project would be funded by 1996's Proposition K funds, and completed by 2016 if approved.

Watch a TV News Story on the Ball Fields Issue

Watch your Butts in the Hillside Areas

As we enter the warm, dry months of summer in our hillside areas, we'd like to remind everyone to be extra careful not to smoke in the High Fire Danger Severity Zones, like the Hollywood Hills.  Working with the local residents, new no smoking/no fires signs have been installed in some key areas of the hills, and we hope that residents and tourists alike will take heed of the ordinances against smoking in these fire-prone neighborhoods.  And remember, the brush clearance deadline is approaching ... so make sure to clear that defensible space around your property and give firefighters a fighting chance to save your home in case of wildfire.

New Workout Area at North Hollywood Park

Councilman LaBonge helped the Department of Recreation and Parks officially open a new workout area at North Hollywood Park this week.  This new exercise equipment replaces the badly worn-out, old, wooden exercise apparatus with new modern fitness equipment.  The old fitness area was 28'x28' and had about 6 pieces of equipment. The new fitness area was expanded to 48'x48' and had 15 pieces of equipment installed.  Crews also laid-down a new Decomposed Granite surfacing for the area, concrete curbing and a Decomposed Granite path that connects the fitness area to the existing walking path.  The open-air workout air was paid for with $40-thousand dollars in Quimby funds from developers, which are earmarked for recreational amenities in the community surrounding the project.

The workout area is located just south of Magnolia Boulevard, west of Tujunga Avenue.

Bike Week in Los Angeles and the "Blessing of the Bicyles"

Councilman LaBonge saddled-up for this year's "Blessing of the Bicycles" at Good Samaritan Hospital, just west of downtown Los Angeles.  Dozens of riders wheeled-by to be blessed by holy water, wishing them safe-travels as they ply the sometimes treacherous roadways of Los Angeles, a city built for the automobile but slowly making room for the emerging bicycle culture.  Other Bike Week activities included "Bike to Work Day" during which Metro offered free-rides on buses, trains and subways for people commuting on two-wheels.

Los Angeles Bicycle pioneer Alex Baum was honored at the Blessing of the Bicycles event.  Baum was an advisor on bicycle issues to LA Mayors Bradley, Riordan and Hahn and is considered the "Father of the Bike Plan" in Los Angeles.

Traffic Alert:  Big Weekend in and around Staples Center

It's a huge weekend at Staples Center, with several high-profile events scheduled back-to-back-to-back-to-back.  The Lakers, Clippers and Kings are all in postseason action this weekend and the final stage of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California, will roll into LA Live.  Authorities are warning of street closures and heavier than normal traffic in the downtown area.

It's Nirvana for sports fans, but could be a bit of a problem for drivers. AEG Officials are expecting normal game traffic Thursday and Friday evening, and feel that Saturday's back-to-back Clippers and Lakers games should not be a problem.  After all, Staples Center has handled more than a hundred doubleheaders.

But Sunday could be a challenge with crowds overlapping for the Kings game and bike race on Sunday.

Street closures begin after the Lakers game Saturday night — along Figueroa Avenue from Pico to Olympic boulevards and on Chick Hearn Court/11th Street from Flower Avenue to Georgia Street — when two pedestrian bridges will be built in preparation for Kings fans crossing the Amgen bike route Sunday morning for Game 4 of the NHL Western conference finals.

Kings fans are encouraged to arrive beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday. Pre-game events and refreshments will be available. Parking and a free shuttle will also be provided at the Coliseum, and officials said a bike valet will be available at Staples Center.

Outside Staples, the final day of the eight-day, 750-mile professional bike race is expected to end by noon Sunday after a five-mile downtown circuit.

Street closures along the circuit will begin at 7 a.m., with thousands expected to participate in a free biking event along the course before Amgen riders enter starting at 10:30 a.m.

But wait, there's more.  Traffic will also be complicated by the Dodgers, who host the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a weekend homestand at nearby Dodger Stadium.  And to top it all off, a weekend trade show is also scheduled at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Councilman LaBonge urges fans to leave their cars at home and take public transportation, including the Red, Purple, Blue and Expo Lines, which all stop near Staples Center.  And, if you simply can't live without your car, you should allow plenty of extra time for the drive.

My Three Sons Day in the City of Los Angeles

Councilman LaBonge declared Wednesday, May 16th, "My Three Sons Day" in the City of Los Angeles, honoring the groundbreaking and long-running television show of the 60's and 70's.  In the photo, four former cast-members hold their congratulatory certificates.  (from left: Tim Considine, who played oldest of "My Three Sons" Mike; Tina Cole, who played "Katie", Councilman Tom LaBonge, Stanley Livingston, who played "Chip" and Barry Livingston, who played "Ernie".)  You can catch episodes of "My Three Sons" on ME-TV on most cable and satellite providers.

Upcoming Events

Cultural Day at the Grove
Sunday, May 20, 2012
12pm - 5pm
5 hours of music and dance
from Sister Cities of Los Angeles and celebrating LA's People-to-People relationships around the world
The Grove Shopping Center
189 The Grove Drive
LA, CA 90036

Amgen Bike Tour of California 
Sunday, May 20, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
The bike tour will finish at LA Live downtown, but will pass through Council District 4.

All lanes of Hollywood Blvd., between Orange Drive and the 101 Freeway, will be closed. For complete route map, which spans from Beverly Hills to Downtown Los Angeles, click the link below.

Here are the street closures for the Amgen 2012 Tour:

Rodeo Dr
Doheny Dr between Burton Way and Sunset Blvd
Burton Way between Rodeo Dr and Doheney Dr
Sunset Blvd between Doheney and Orange
Orange Dr between Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood Blvd between Orange and Vermont
Sunset Blvd between Vermont and Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez between Grand and Alpine
Alpine St between Broadway and Cesar Chavez
Spring between Cesar Chavez and 1st
1st between Spring and Hill
Hill St between 1st and 11th
11th between Hill and Flower
Flower between 11th and Pico
Pico between Flower and Figueroa
Figueroa between Pico and Olympic
Olympic between Figueroa and Olive
Olive between Olympic and 1st
1st between Olive and Grand
Grand between 1st and Temple
Temple between Grand and Spring
For more information
  
Tesla Sidewalk Project Information Checkpoint
Tuesday, May 22, 2012; 4pm - 8pm
Councilman LaBonge and Silver Lake area Field Deputy Mary Rodriguez will be out near the intersection of Tesla Avenue and Armstrong Avenue, giving out information on the DWP's Tesla Sidewalk Project, which will complete the walking path around the Silverlake Reservoir.

Save the Date
Saturday June 2nd; 10am
Your Los Angeles Fire Department will be holding a Grand Opening Ceremony for Fire Station 82 in Hollywood, which has been built at the northeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue.

National Public Works Week
May 21-May 26, 2012
Next week is National Public Works Week. The Los Angeles Department of Public Works will celebrate the contributions of public works in our city.
“Public Works: Creating a Lasting Impression,” is this year's theme.  The emphasis is on public works professionals and their contributions to sustainable solutions.  
Find out more

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