Researchers create report with suggestions for LA River revitalization
People can kayak and fish until Labor Day in the Los Angeles River – an area that was deemed too polluted for public use almost a century ago.
The Los Angeles River opened in May to the public for its fifth year of recreational activities thanks to the ongoing efforts of urban planning experts, including UCLA alumni and faculty. Last year, several graduate students from the Luskin School of Public Affairs released a research report which analyzed specific revitalization projects near the river and encouraged collaboration between residents and the city.
J.R. DeShazo, director of the Luskin Center for Innovation, said the guide consists of 14 case studies that highlight different projects, including parks and pathways, along the river.
“What we have tried to do is to identify successful examples of improvements in the river greenway,” DeShazo said. “We then identify the challenges and the obstacles that those improvements faced so that other communities can learn from their successes, challenges and sometimes, their failures.”
The authors have included information on the origins, goals and timeline for each case in the report. The report also identifies the specific needs of each project and how to integrate its potential solutions. Projects in the report include Cudahy River Park and the Elysian Valley Bikeway.