Infant's Death Incites Downtown L.A. Art Walk Street Closure Petition

Bustling streets and sidewalks during previous Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk. Photo by R.E. via the LAist Featured Photos pool

The Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk on Thursday, July 14, involved a fatal car versus stroller accident, resulting in the untimely death of a two-month-old boy. While attempting to park his car, the driver hit the gas pedal in lieu of the brakes, hopped the curb and struck the boy and his mother. She survived the collision.

Swarming with Art Walk attendees, downtown sidewalks are typically viewed as a safe zone for pedestrians. This is no longer the case.

Victor Wilde, owner of The Brutique and The Bohemian Society, created a petition to the Los Angeles City Council to close the streets between Spring and Main from Second to Eighth during Art Walk hours. View and support his petition here.

Wilde's Downtown Art Walk involvement dates back to its inception, and he knows its history well.

"The people in the community I know have been getting more and more edgy as the artwalk draws more and more people. The idea to close the streets has been proposed before by Art Walk Founder Burt Green, but apparently, the idea was defeated. Maybe now that a baby has been killed, the idea might seem more feasible."

Thursday's tragedy occurred just one block from The Brutique.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@laist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Lauren Lloyd in News on July 19, 2011 9:40 AM

Comments [rss]

DTLA

I think they should shut down or move "Art Walk' completely. As a resident of the area I have watched over the years how this night has gone from being a causal night out with people strolling along a couple of downtown city blocks to an all out once a month mini rave filled with thugs and other undesirables I would rather not have in my neighborhood. Food trucks have made this worse but so have the same businesses who sell and flout alcohol and promote a rave like atmosphere. This thing is now just disgusting and it should be moved to the Arts District (oh hey - that's a novel idea - an "Art Walk" in the Art's District..." or some other neighborhood other than mine. I already have to deal with the homeless, drug dealers, unscrupulous and clueless business owners and now outright drunken thugs. YAYE Art Walk! Seriously the Downtown Art Walk and every person associated with it can suck my disgruntled cock - and now know when they pull the covers up over their pathetic self serving heads at night that they are partially responsible for the death of a two year old child.
Well done assholes.

Victor Wilde

please sign the petition if you like the idea http://www.ipetitions.com/pet...

J

I agree that the streets should be closed to car traffic during Artwalk. Even with street closures, there is often a policy to let residents in if they have a parking spot. Unfortunately, there is a cost to everything, and if the City (taxpayers) don't pay for the street closures, it will be borne by Artwalk, which probably doesn't have the funds. If we could somehow put that cost on attendees, it may help manage the crowds and keep those who continue to come be safer. At minimum, it might be wise to ban all on-street parking in the concentrated areas on Main and Spring during Artwalk; that way maybe fewer cars will come down those streets.

Benjamin Ackerman

I'm not sure closing the streets is the best way to solve this problem. As a resident of the area who lives on 6th and Spring, I'd like to be able to actually go home on Artwalk night and park my car in my garage. I'm not clear that would be possible with street closures.

If closing the street is the only real alternative, it's time we looked at actually changing Artwalk itself to better accommodate the crowds and their impact on the neighborhood. Maybe moving the event to weekends and holding it less frequently.

I know any major change has the potential to impact our local businesses who thrive during Artwalk, but the event has strayed so much from it's regular intent that it's really hard to stick up for it with a straight face.

BikeLA

It is one night a month, and it supports a lot of the businesses that make you want to live in that neighborhood. There are blocks there that can easily be closed off without limiting access to parking. I agree that it may be more of a 'food truck and beer walk' than an 'art walk', but it is still a great night out that helps makes Los Angeles a vibrant city.

Dominick Gavin

Want a "vibrant city?" move to NYC and take the subway.

ChrisLoos

BikeLA brings up an excellent point. Many businesses in DTLA literally make their rent from Artwalk. We all benefit from the fact that these businesses took a risk and opened up shop here.

If I have to park my car before Artwalk begins, or leave it in a lot outside the Historic Core until Artwalk ends- ONE day a month, then so be it. I'm fine with that. Closing the street will save lives.

Dominick Gavin

Not taking a 2 month old baby to a notoriously over-crowded event will save lives. The parents should be held accountable for endangering the child. It is a night adult event for Christ's sake.

Tracy Wright

"while attempting to park his car" sounds more like an accident, then a careless driver. The families loss is of course a tragedy and my heart goes out to them, but this was one small isolated incident we call "an accident".

Victor Wilde

Accident or not, it happened and something needs to be done about the chaos that artwalk has become.

Kim Cooper

Thank you, Victor, for taking the initiative to create the petition and focus community concern towards a possible solution. I have signed, and hope that City Council will be responsive and help fix this dangerous problem.

Sullivan131

Like always the no one will listen until someone finally is killed. I feel so bad for the baby's family. Clearly they must be devastated.