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Hanging Out in Veterans Park?
When the Veterans Administration asked for public comment on what to do with the prime piece of West Los Angeles real estate that is Veterans Park, it stirred up plenty of passions, but most of the debates argued selling off bits of the land to pay for improvements to the rest versus keeping the place as quiet as usual.
How about making this Federally-ownded land more inviting to the public? Theoretically, the place benefits the general public as well as veterans, but most Angelenos are accustomed to cruising right through it.
The place holds a cemetery, which commands quiet and respect, and working VA services, but there are also lush green lawns. On the Mall in Washington, DC, people toss frisbees and kick soccer balls past various somber monuments, and the effect is not disrespect, but a peaceable mingling of past and present. Los Angeles certainly needs more public parks - is there funding for that somewhere? - and veterans need public support. Under the circumstances, an effort to encourage a little Ultimate Frisbee near the Bob Hope Veterans Chapel could ultimately benefit everyone.
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
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