[Scpg] Fw: RiverWalk -- March 18th

[scpg-admin at arashi.com]

> This walk should be of great interested to anyone interested in seeing
what
> can be done to create pocket parks, gardens and community centers.  Let me
> know if you would like to car pool to this event.  I would like to leave
Long
> Beach at 3:30 p.m. to give people time to see the River Center Gardens
before
> beginning the walk.  Joan Greenwood (562) 599-0812.
> =============================================================
>
> Hello River Walkers ---
>
>      The next Down By The River walk will take place
> this Sunday March 18th at 4:30pm, starting from the
> River Center - 570 W. Ave 26 - just north of Downtown
> Los Angeles.
>
>      The Los Angeles River Center and Gardens is the
> former Lawry's California Center Restaurant.  The
> beautiful campus grounds were recently saved from
> planned demolition and now serve as the local
> headquarters for a number of groups working on
> revitalizing the LA River - including FoLAR, North
> East Trees, and the Mountains Recreation and
> Conservation Authority.
>
>      We'll be touring the grounds of the River Center,
> walking to the confluence of the LA River and the
> Arroyo Seco, then to some new pocket parks nearby.
>
>      The confluence is an important historic site -
> it's the earliest local site recorded by Spanish
> exporers.  In 1769, Father Juan Crespi described the
> site as a "good sized, full flowing river" with banks
> "well lined with large trees, sycamores, willows,
> cottonwoods, and very large live oaks" and a "very
> lush and pleasing spot, in every respect".  It was the
> very attractiveness and bountifulness of the site that
> lead to the founding of the City of Los Angeles
> nearby.  The confluence is literally why LA is where
> it is.
>
>      The site is, of course, much degraded from the
> state in which Father Crespi first encounted it, but
> plans are afoot to commemorate the historic site with
> a state "Confluence Park".  Funding was made available
> in the State budget, and preliminary work is underway
> at North East Trees.
>
>      Our guest expert will be Nishith Dhandha - a
> landscape architect at NE Trees who has been
> responsible for designing many of the wonderful pocket
> parks NE Trees has done along the LA River.  Nishith
> will show off North East Trees native plantings and
> parks in the area, and will tell us about plans for
> the upcoming Confluence Park.
>
>      The walk is free, non-strenuous, open to all
> ages, canceled if raining.  Dogs welcome on leash.
> For a map to the location (and information on joining
> FoLAR) see www.folar.org
>
>            Joe
>
> Directions:
>      Bike: Located directly across the River from the
> downstream end of the Glendale Narrows Bikeway.  Take
> the bikeway downstream, continue south on Riverside
> Drive, which turns left to cross the River and become
> Figueroa.  From Figueroa, turn left on Avenue 26, and
> left into the River Center.
>      Bus: Take MTA Lines 81,82,84,85,90,91,94 or 96 -
> see www.mta.net for maps and schedules.
>      Car: From the 5 north/south or 110 north - exit
> at Figueroa.  Go north on Figueroa, left on Avenue 26,
> left into the River Center.
>           From the 110 south, exit Avenue 26.  Go west
> on Ave 26, then left into the River Center.
>
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________