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Put on hold in February when the state froze the $1.1M grant, then further held off after funds were released by a local business' legal haggling, construction of the Glendale Narrows Riverwalk project should begin this summer, according to the Glendale News Press.
In the works for over ten years, the three-phase project will bring a walkway, bike path, park space, picnic areas, and equestrian areas to the section of the Los Angeles River that travels through the city of Glendale. The initial plans were approved by their City Council in 2006, however progress has stalled in recent years.
Even when the state released the funds earlier this year, a 15-foot strip of land became a point of contention, and its owner, DreamWorks, engaged in "protracted negotiations" to clear the land for the project.
Phase I will:
provide a half mile of landscaped recreational trail along the north bank of the Los Angeles River across from Griffith Park. It will include a small entry park that will serve as a staging area for hikers and bicyclists, a separate staging area for equestrians using local trails, another small park area for walking and picnicking, enhancement of wildlife habitat in the river channel, and educational and interpretive exhibits.
Construction will start in July and take about a year; phases II and III, which aim to "extend the trail to the east and south and include a bridge connecting the walkway to Griffith Park," are not yet funded and remain in the planning stages.
