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Urban Basketball Court Among New Long Beach Park Projects by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 03.03.10 |
+ 12:55pm | Three parks and open space projects in Long Beach will receive a combined $200,000 in funding for development, according to a press release from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. The funding is available through the Fourth District Capital Projects Fund, overseen by the County supervisors. The funding will be provided for construction of new basketball court on 14th & Locust, concept plans for a new Visitors Center at El Dorado Nature Center, and to rebuild the Wild Oats Community Garden at 10th & Grand – which had to be removed to accommodate construction of the Termino Avenue Storm Drain Project. The basketball court on 14th Street between Pine and Locust will receive $140,000 to renovate the existing park, which is a continuation of the recently-renovated skate park. Plans to develop the basketball court into a makeshift public stadium with new equipment and bleachers - akin to world-renowned courts like New York's Rucker Park - were developed by Councilmember Robert Garcia. “I am very grateful to Supervisor Knabe for securing this funding,” said Garcia, whose 1st District encompasses the skate park and proposed basketball court. “We are transforming this neighborhood block by block, and the new skatepark and basketball court is just the beginning." The El Dorado Nature Center will receive $50,000 to develop plans and environmental reports for a proposed new Visitors Center, as part of the second phase of a Master Plan that was established for the park in 2003. The City is looking to hire an architectural firm to begin the second phase, and needs to produce new plans and reports in order to apply for up to $5 million in funding from the state’s Nature Education Facilities Grant Program. The funding announced today will fund the plans that will allow the City to apply for those larger grants. "This appropriation will be of great assistance in improving and further restoring the El Dorado Nature Center, which is one of the true jewels of the City," said 4th District Councilman Patrick O'Donnell. The Wild Oats Community Garden on 10th Street, after being forced out to accommodate construction of the Termino Avenue Storm Drain Project last year, will receive $10,000 to rebuild. Developing... Disclosure: LBPOST.com publisher Shaun Lumachi is under contract with the Office of Supervisor Don Knabe. Click here to read our policy on covering the Long Beach City Council.
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9 Comments so far.
Mike BH I hope the new Visitor's Center will be a LEED Gold or Platinum! gardener Just to clarify - Wild Oats garden has not yet been removed. Construction is scheduled for 2011, as far as I know. The city has started work across the street in the open space behind Armstrongs on the south side of 10th. LBRMCEO Thank You! One more block to go then. We have seen a huge improvement one block at a time in our neighborhood 14th street park. We can hold our head high and walk our park without drug dealing and open container drinking. All we need now in a public/private shared community center with restroom facilities so the kids can have somewhere to relieve themselves besides the corner of Lydia House Women & Children’s Shelter. BUGGA BOO BOO GOOD - This will give Obama some where to go when he comes to Long Beach; I only wish he could play President as well.:) Summer Way to politicize a positive community issue, Bugga. I hope you can feel my eye-rolling through the inter-web pipeline. Julie Whaley I appreciate Robert Garcia's investment in youth. He has turned out to be a great Councilman. Kennebreath I agree with Julie, Mr. Garcia has done a great job for the 1st District. It's been a bunch of small changes...basketball courts here, dog park there, but it's the small things that end up changing a larger area. Other council members would be wise to follow his approach. His persistent self advertising certainly doesn't hurt either. Mike Donelon Much thanks to Councilman Garcia for his commitment to youth in what is considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in LBC for kids to grow up.With the new Michael Green Skate Park and the basketball court he continues to help give the kids an alternative to the streets and gangs. I agree 100% with LBRMCEO we need a restroom for the kids. The telephone pole at the corner of the women and childrens shelter is getting a bit....well...stinky. GLB These new projects that are being build are sure to make our beautiful city a safer place for our kids. Every day that i drive to and from work i see the HORRIBLE soccer fields that our kids are playing in, for example the one on PCH and Walnut. why not invest in a sports complex/tutoring center with soccer fields and basketball courts and after school educational prgrams, this will not only make our community look better but it will give our youth and opporutnity to develop their skills and stay out of the streets and at the same time get help with their home work. A vast majority of kids in school come home to a non-english speaking home, so who can they ask for help if no one will understand their questions?
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Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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