Achievements and Awards

 

The Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan was approved by the City Council in May 2007. We are now in the process of implementing it on many levels—we are working locally to obtain funding for a variety of River projects, including parks and bikeways:

 

• In July 2007, $25 million in local Proposition O funds were dedicated for acquisition of Taylor Yard G-2 site (Council District 1).
  
  
• Also in July 2007, $1.958 million in state Proposition 50 California River Parkways funds were awarded to the 2-mile West Valley Bikeway project in Canoga Park (Council District 3).
  
  
• In November 2007, $536,519 in state Proposition 12 Los Angeles River Parkway funds were awarded to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) for greening elements to complement the City’s Elysian Valley Bikeway project (Council District 13).
  
  
• In December 2007, $2 million in state Coastal Conservancy funds were pledged toward the acquisition of the Taylor Yard G-2 site (Council District 1).
  
  
• In early April 2008, $350,000 in state Assembly .Bill 471 Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program grant funds were awarded to the Sunnynook River Park project (Council District 4).
  
  
• In June 2008, the State awarded $2 million in Proposition 50 California River Parkways grant funds to the North Atwater Park Expansion project (Council District 4).
  
  
• Also in June 2008, the state Coastal Conservancy awarded $500,000 to the Riverdale Green Street project (Council District 13).
  
  
• Also in June 2008, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy awarded $1.35 million to the Sunnynook River Park project (Council District 4).

 

Nationally, we are working to obtain federal funds to support the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ ongoing efforts on the River:

 

• The City is serving as the local sponsor for the Corps’ multi-year Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.
  
  
• The City will participate in implementation of future Federal demonstration projects that are compatible with both the Corps study and the City’s LARRMP. In November 2007, the U.S. Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), within which (Section 4018) $25 million were authorized for Los Angeles River demonstration projects. These funds, once appropriated, will go to the Los Angeles District of the Corps of Engineers. In 2008, the City and the Los Angeles District of the Corps are working together to encourage Congress to appropriate a portion of the WRDA funds—approximately $5 million—for a demonstration project.

 

Internationally, the City continues to learn from the experiences of other global cities and has signed two “Sister River” agreements to pledge future cooperation via the exchange of knowledge and expertise:

• Sister River Agreement with the Cheonggyecheon River in Seoul, Korea (October 2006); this file is 440 kb.
  
  
• Sister River Agreement with the Yarqon River in Tel Aviv, Israel (June 2008); this file is 962 kb.

 

The City of Los Angeles is proud of the recognition and awards that the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan has earned from the following organizations:

• President's Award of Excellence for Planning and Urban Design by the Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
  (Estes Park, CO, October 2007)

• Waterfront Center’s Annual Excellence on the Waterfront Honor Award
  (Boston, MA, November 2007)

• Award of Excellence and Honor Award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
  (Anaheim, CA, December 2007)

• Nominated for Environment Now’s 2007 Top Achievements Report in the Land Use, Open Space, and Smart Growth category
  (Santa Monica, CA, December 2007)

• National American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design (Boston, MA, May 15-17, 2008)
  
  
• Urban Design Award from the American Institute of Architects – California Council (Sacramento, CA, June, 2008)