Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Over 15 Parking Spaces to be Converted into Temporary Mini-Parks
()
A [Park]ing Day spot in Studio City in 2009 | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
The national annual event known as [Park]ing Day, where city street parking spaces are turned into mini-parks for a day, is no stranger to Los Angeles. For some, however, parks and open space might be a stranger to their neighborhoods.
Despite having Griffith Park and lots of access to nature surrounding Los Angeles, the city is actually park poor. "Per person, Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest metropolis, has about a third of the park space of New York: 11.8 acres, as compared with 37.3," according to Greenspace in 2008. "And it has far less than Chicago (18.7), Boston (18), Philadelphia (17.1) and Miami (16)."
Support for LAist comes from
The numbers were based on a UCLA report that then dug into what neighborhoods have what when it comes to access to neighborhood open space. It found that most white neighborhoods had 31.8 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents while African-American neighborhoods had 1.7 acres. It was even worse for Latino and Asian areas, they had 0.6 and 0.3 acres, respectively.
And this is what [Park]ing Day participants in Los Angeles aim to bring attention to. Next Friday more 15 groups will get together and take over street parking spaces in the L.A. area to make an ad hoc parks. Sometimes they are basic, other times they are fancy and artful, but no matter what, they grab attention for being out of place, which is a starting point for conversation.
Previously: [Parking]Day Coverage on LAist from past years
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist