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L.A. River masterplan unveiled

Los Angeles County unveiled on January 13th its draft update to the L.A. River master plan

L.A. River masterplan unveiled
Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County unveiled on January 13th, 2021  its draft update to the L.A. River master plan, the document intended to guide the development of new parks and water quality projects along the 51-mile corridor, while also accounting for potential displacement and equity issues in neighboring communities.

"The draft, which is the first update to the master plan since 1996, is the result of a five-year outreach process consisting of dozens of community meetings and other events.  Per a press release from Los Angeles County, the the document was formed with input from thousands of residents, with online materials seeing nearly one million impressions.

“Communities along the Los Angeles River, especially those near the Lower LosAngeles River, are in desperate need of investment,” said Los Angeles County's 1st District Supervisor Chair Hilda Solis in a prepared statement. “These park-poor neighborhoods have always had the Los Angeles River in their backyard, but up until now, they have had their backs turned to it."

L.A. River masterplan unveiled
Los Angeles County

“A revitalized L.A. River could provide an exciting and unifying artery running right through the County,” said 3rd District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl in a news release. “When we began the master plan process several years ago, we promised that this would be a significant and innovative reimagining of all 51 miles of the L.A. River. After thorough and thoughtful input from community leaders and County residents, I think we’ve kept our promise.”

The bulk of that public property is used for flood control purposes, the legacy of a series of destructive storms in the early 20th century.  The goal of moving water from city streets out to sea is famously the reason that much of the river corridor is encased in concrete.

However, sparse rainfall in Southern California mean's that the river is only needed for its flood control functions roughly 2 percent of the time, according architect Frank Gehry, who was tapped to work on the master plan in 2014.  That creates an opportunity for recreational activities and public open space on much of the corridor
."

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