Extra Quimby Funds? Build Batting Cages

Great idea but I don’t think Elysian Park would satisfy the “within 2 mile” requirement that the money would have to be spent. Even with public transportation options, most people would feel the need to drive to that park.

To best serve the needs of the residents in the downtown core the City should look for development in the city center.

I’d like to see an off-leash dog run, basketball courts and pocket parks with the unspent money.

Yes, pocket parks with playground equipment with grass, trees, flowers and security.

I guess I was being Southern-centric (South of 101).

Red Car trolley……?

So one of the questions I’m not seeing answered is … can you still hit?

What timing with Chick bringing that report out after we discussed just that at the Castle. I guess all good ideas originate in the Valley ;)

So, I couldn’t help but recall 2 years ago when I wrote on the famed Sherman Oaks Castle. So, since you weren’t able to link to it, here it is (from February 4, 2006):

There’s Nothing Mini in L.A….

Los Angeles is known for its park system. From Griffith Park to Debs to Venice Beach (yes, it’s a City park) to Cabrillo Aquarium (again, a City park), this City has some real treasures for recreation. There may not be enough open space in all parts of the city, but at least L.A. can claim that they own a mini golf course.

No wonder the Valley wanted to secede: they wanted control over the Sherman Oaks Castle Park! In 2002, the secessionists claimed that smaller was better - maybe they were inspired by the move of the City in 1993 when they acquired the parcel, which had been operating as a mini golf entertainment center since 1975.

According to the City’s Department of Recreation and Parks’ latest RFP described the venue as such:

“The Sherman Oaks Castle Park is a five-acre family entertainment center in Sherman Oaks featuring three landscaped 18-hole miniature golf courses, an arcade, a food service concession, and batting cages. In the center of the property is a 7,500 square-foot medieval castle-themed building which houses the arcade, food concession, and miniature golf administration. Each year approximately 300,000 guests visit the facility, which opens every day of the year. Parking for approximately 125 vehicles is available at the facility, with an additional 93 spaces leased by the City from an adjacent property to accommodate peak hours. The miniature golf portion is operated by the Department; the batting cage, arcade, and food service are each operated by independent, private business entities under concession agreements with the Department…”

I guess the question is: with this kind of facility provided to folks of the Valley (and the region), how could they claim to not get their fair share?!

Anyone in the Parks and Recreation Department will tell you that unless you have on-site monitoring as well as perimeter fencing and night-time closure, you will end up with plenty of bare dirt. Grass will be worn down and killed off within a week due to unintended soccer use, no matter what use(s) such pocket parks are programmed for.

Grand-Hope park would have been obliterated if not for the adjacent school, apartment block and perimeter fencing.

The greatest need by far in the Downtown area is for wide open space for futball, with a variety of turf that should be maintained and withstand the impact of soccer.

pocket parks, please.

Three words.

Buy Land Now.

Improvements can come later but what we don’t buy now - will never be able to be replaced.

You have to wonder why the City did not act on the patch of 700 S. Spring that was (still is?) for sale. Seems like a nice spot for some benches and trees.

In other cities such as San Francisco and Washington D.C. they have pocket parks that are not much larger than traffic circles. Actually, in D.C. they use traffic circles as pocket parks. That said, it unlikely the city could afford to develop a large plot of land aside from Pershing Square as a city park. So a workable solution would be to create a system of small pocket parks large enough for a few benches, grass for dogs and a children’s play area. Just imagine a pocket park in each neighborhood of downtown.

As for a larger park, got to go with what we have and that’s Pershing Square. Rip it out; redesign it for mixed recreational use (i.e., dog park, basketball courts, benches, children’s play area and some open grass). For a large scale “grass park” we can all just drive out to the suburbs.

We need MAGIC at Pershing Square, not basketball hoops and dog turds. You think the place is bad now….

As for soccer, the surface that I’ve seen hold up best is Nike Turf - it feels like real grass and is quite durable. The problem is cost, but it might make sense in the long run. I went back to my old high school )which was notorious for a horrible surface) for an alumni game and found a beautiful turf field. I was hesitant at first, but when I played on it, I was astounded.

It would be nice to have a high quality central field for the area (versus the dirt mounds that are available now. It could be a really cool urban addition…

Magic? As in what?

How about putting in things that people would actually use. Pershing Square is underutilized because there is nothing there that people would want to use. Amenities such as a basketball court, dog park, and children’s play area all things that bring out people.

With more foot traffic the park would be kept safer and cleaner, the transients and vagrants that now overrun the park would leave for less trafficked location.

I’d second Mr. Westwater’s recommendation. The city should be buying land regularly or stashing cash explicitly for this purpose. Imagine how South Park could have been with good size pieces of land for parks if the city had picked up some parking lots a decade ago.

How about tennis courts? Would love a tennis court downtown.

There are courts downtown. If you join the YMCA you can use them for free. =]

Oh yeah forgot about that.

The courts at Glendale and Temple, known as the Echo Park Courts. were once called “the fastest in town.”

By MAGIC, I mean an environment conceived solely to attract people to return to Pershing Square, again, again and again, no matter they be office worker, resident, conventioneer or citizen from anywhere in the region. A decided sentimental gesture is required as part of this; I think that one or two major artists should be involved in creating such a gesture. A plain, simplistic or modernist design will not do it; neither will a formal Beaux Arts inpired layout. Creating a highly favored and vital place, attracting repeat visits by a cross-section of the population depends upon ART and MAGIC.

Now: try to get that idea across to an architect or a government bureaucrat. Right. Impossible I tell you. And so we end up with basketball hoops or a tennis court and/or dog turds. We do not need a design solution at such a crossroads place as Pershing Square. ART and MAGIC is the only way.

Wow! ART and MAGIC, is that all we’re missing? I’m sure the designers of the most recent rendition of Pershing Square years ago thought they had the Art and Magic. Look where that got us.

Funny but here I thought that an open and inviting place where people could exercise, meet other downtown residents, walk their dogs (“crap turd”) and play with their children was a good idea. Call me silly but sometimes the most practical ideas are the best. If it happens that’s all the “magic” I’ll need.

i just happened to notice a classified ad in the garment & citizen for an auction of the assets of the yucaipa batting cages on march 1. here is more info.

Maybe there should be a big movie screen too. Every night they can show Pink Flamingoes.

Building batting cages sounds great! The cost of building or installing batting cages is family affordable and should fit well within budget.