With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
Why The Venice Beach Skate Park Now Looks Like This
A drone shot captures the filled-in skate park on Venice Beach this Saturday. (Chava Sanchez / LAist)
()
Not everyone is observing COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Ongoing offenders at the Venice Beach skate park pushed the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation to fill the park with sand. Caution tape alone failed as a deterrent.
We sent our visual journalist Chava Sanchez — who assures us he's wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing — to check out how the area is complying during the pandemic.
He says while police shooed away anyone near the skate park, he still saw lots of people in close proximity to one another.
"Several groups of people congregated, just sitting around and definitely not social distancing. A good amount of people just hanging out and about without face masks. The parking lots were closed, but there is plenty of street parking. And I saw a lot of people at the beach."
Support for LAist comes from
Shacked Magazine, which covers surfing, first reported Thursday that they'd spotted bulldozers near the popular skate park. They've documented the steps it took.
Here's a look at the park in normal times:
A young man jumps with his skateboard at Venice Beach in 2011. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images)
()
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures. -
It will be the second national day of protest against President Donald Trump. -
The university says the compact, as the Trump administration called it, could undermine free inquiry and academic excellence. -
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency.
Best of LAist