[You know what...at least when ZD was reading the stuff about Weiss during the Council meeting, Jack sat there, listened...and didn't try and wiggle out of it. Tom La Bong...he stood up, disrupted the meeting, violated the law, and was told to please let the City Attorney handle the meeting by the Council President. So I know I was gonna talk more about Jack Weiss tomorrow during the Council meeting, but I just saw THIS in the Daily News. Maybe Jack can jump up and start screaming like a nutcase bully when I start talking about THIS!]From Daily News
Great-grandson of Griffith Park donor leads historic-monument status effort
A century ago, Col. Griffith J. Griffith gave enough land to Los Angeles to create the nation's largest wild urban park.
Now his great-grandson wants Griffith Park designated the largest historic landmark in the United States.
"We're doing it to stop commercialization," said Griffith Van Griffith, whose family trust has applied to formally preserve the 4,218-acre park. "They want to build aerial trams, hotels and build restaurants.
"We don't need any of it. I believe my great-grandfather would be turning over in his grave."
Last month, his Griffith J. Griffith Charitable Trust nominated Griffith Park to be named a city Historic Cultural Monument. The 350-page application will be considered Aug. 21 by the Cultural Heritage Commission.
It was a park master plan proposal three years ago with notions of aerial tramways, parking garages, a mountain hostel and an L.A. River "pleasure pier" that galvanized efforts to preserve the park in its entirety.
Monument status is now supported by the Sierra Club and numerous neighborhood councils and homeowner associations.
"We just don't want any infringement on any land area in Griffith Park - no development of any kind," said Louis Alvarado, honorary mayor of Griffith Park.
Clare Darden, a member of the trust and a longtime hiker in Griffith Park, said the park is at risk of economic development because the city is financially strapped.
"Of all the gems in L.A., this is the foremost gem, and it most definitely should be a monument and be protected from further development," she said.
Not so fast, said City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who has asked the parks department to study how a Griffith Park monument would affect city water, sewer and power systems.
He said he doesn't want some architect at City Hall who knows nothing about horticulture determining the future of the park.
"I'm a preservationist," said LaBonge, who added that he's backed other landmark nominations, such as the Mulholland Fountain. "(But) I want to make sure it's right for the park.
"There's been a campaign to say Griffith Park is threatened. It's not threatened by any massive development. Nothing will be built that is not accepted by the community."
"I don't know how he foresaw L.A. being such a big city," said Griffith, 55, who is known as Van. "He saw the park as a safety valve, a place to unwind.
"I want it to remain an urban wilderness where people can get back to nature."
FULL ARTICLEMayor09.com
ZumaTimes.com
Posts
