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IT'S GLORIA'S PRE HALLOWEEN MORNING.
IT IS 9:01 AM AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH, 2024 MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE, COMMISSION DIRECTOR DENNIS, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE, PLEASE? I CERTAINLY WILL.
CHAIR LIP CHAIR REDFIELD HERE.
COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON PRESENT.
HERE WE HAVE FULL ATTENDANCE AND ARY.
WILL YOU PLEASE ALL RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS MORNING? NO.
SO, UH, TODAY WE HAVE A LITTLE UNUSUAL OR A LITTLE DIFFERENT START TO OUR MEETING.
EVERY COMMISSIONED MEETING, UH, WE PAUSE AS ONE OF OUR PRESENTATIONS AND HONOR ONE OF OUR STELLAR DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES WHO'VE BEEN SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS AS AN EMPLOYEE THE MONTH AND LAST, LAST MONTH FOR, UH, SOME REASONS WE, UH, DEFERRED THAT RECOGNITION TO TODAY.
SO WE HAVE A PAIR OF THEM TODAY FOR BOTH THE MONTH OF AUGUST AND THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE CHAIR, JOY WARREN, TO LEAD US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
HAPPY FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, GREAT SHAKEOUT AND SORT OF SWEATER, SWEATER, WEATHER,
SO I, I, I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW BY NOW, WE LOVE TALKING ABOUT OUR ROCK STARS.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR INDULGING US AND WE GET TO TALK ABOUT TWO OF 'EM.
UM, FIRST, AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
I'M GONNA PREP EVERYONE HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
I'M GOING TO CALL UP OUR AUGUST EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, AND THEN WE'LL COME AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEE, TAKE PICTURES, AND THEN SEND OUR SEPTEMBER EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
SO OUR FIRST ROCKSTAR THIS MORNING, I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THE NO.
UM, OUR DOCTORS MEDICAL STAFF AND ANIMAL CARE TEAM ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES.
I FEEL THEIR EFFORTS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED WITH CARE, WITH THE, WHEN THEY PROVIDE FOR THE MULTI MULTITUDE OF PETS THAT COME THROUGH OUR DOORS.
I WISH THERE WAS A FORM WHERE I COULD NOMINATE PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS FORM OR FOR MULTIPLE TEAMS, UH, THEY PROVIDE DURING WORK HOURS AND TAKING THEIR, BECAUSE THEY TAKE THEIR WORK HOME, UH, WITH 'EM, DEDICATION AND COMPASSION, WITH FOSTERING NEO NAKED KITTENS BOTTLE, FEEDING THEM SOMETIMES EVERY TWO HOURS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT JUST TO SAVE THEIR LIFE BECAUSE NO FOSTER OR RESCUE COULD TAKE THEM.
SOMETIMES ANIMAL RESCUES CALL THEM WOUND TOMB BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY THAT DON'T MAKE IT OUT OF THE SHELTER BECAUSE VERY FEW WANT TO TAKE ON THAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, THE, IN THAT INABILITY OF IT WOULD BE THAT THESE TINY KITTENS WOULD HAVE TO BE EUTHANIZED, IF NOT FOR OUR DEDICATED STAFF.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE WHOSE COMPASSION AND DEDICATION REALLY IS WHAT BROUGHT HER, UH, TO BE RECOGNIZED THIS MORNING.
AND SO NOW I'D LIKE TO INVITE DR.
LILIA AND CISO TO COME UP AND YOU RECOGNIZE THIS WONDERFUL PERSON IS, UH, PART OF A BUREAU OF OF BUREAUS.
AND SO NOW I'M SELECTED INVITE DR.
MELANIE WAGNER TO ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR AUGUST EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
UH, OUR CHIEF VETERINARIAN COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, SO I DO JUST WANT TO READ SOME WORDS FROM HER.
UH, SHE'S SORRY SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT.
IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN HONOR TO WORK WITH DR.
NCSO AT LBAS FOR NEARLY A DECADE.
SHE IS AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF THE LBAS TEAM, WHO HAS PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ADVANCING OUR SHELTER'S MEDICAL DIVISION AND OVERALL MISSION.
NCSO IS AN EXCELLENT DOCTOR, ALWAYS COMPASSIONATE AND DEDICATED TO HER PATIENTS.
SHE'S A GREAT TEACHER TO SHELTER STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.
SHE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT THE WELLBEING OF OUR TEAM, ALWAYS COMING UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO BOOST MORALE AND CELEBRATE HER COWORKERS.
EVEN DURING THE MOST STRESSFUL TIMES, SHE HAS CONTRIBUTED WONDERFUL IDEAS TO NEW PROGRAMS, AND HER HUMOR IS UNPARALLELED.
I APPRECIATE HER SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP TREMENDOUSLY.
NCSO DESERVES RECOGNITION EACH DAY FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO LBAS.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER ON OUR TEAM.
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THAT BETTER MYSELF.WE SEE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS A YEAR COME THROUGH OUR DOORS, AND ABOUT 60% OF THOSE JUST WALKING IN THE FRONT DOOR ARE SICK, INJURED, OR UNDERAGE, AND NEED IMMEDIATE CARE.
AND MANY OF THEM NEED LONG-TERM CARE SURGERIES ON A DIME.
E IS AVAILABLE TO DO ALL OF THAT EVERY, EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY SHE'S THERE SOMETIMES WHEN SHE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
SHE'S STILL WORKING SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, MORGAN PHONE CALLS, TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS WHO NEED HELP AT OUR EMERGENCY HOSPITAL.
UM, AND I HAVE TO SAY, I'VE WORKED WITH SHELTER VETS IN MY CAREER.
E IS A CUT ABOVE THE REST IN THE WAY THAT SHE TREATS EVERY INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL THAT COMES INTO OUR SHELTER.
EVERY ANIMAL HAS INDIVIDUALIZED COMPASSIONATE CARE.
SHE TREATS THEM AS THOUGH THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL, NOT THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS BEING SEEN EVERY YEAR.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.
IT IS PART OF WHAT MAKES LBAS AND OUR MEDICAL TEAM SO INCREDIBLE.
UM, AND ON TOP OF THAT, SHE DOES ALWAYS FIND THE TIME FOR THE TEAM.
I, UH, ACTUALLY HAVE A SECTION IN MY NOTEBOOK CALLED DR.
EISM BECAUSE IT MAKES US LAUGH SO MUCH THAT I HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF IT.
UM, I JUST REALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOUR COMPASSION, YOUR KINDNESS.
I AM HONORED THAT YOU HAVE PICKED LBAS TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE AND WE COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER VETERINARIAN OR FRIEND.
WHILE EVERYONE'S ASSEMBLING, MAY I MAKE A COMMENT? SO JUST FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT KIND OF WONDER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION AS A MEETING, BUT IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT, WE ALSO, UM, COVERED THE MARINE AND BEACHES, THE MARINES AND BEACHES, AND THEN LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT EMBEDDED IN OUR DEPARTMENT TITLE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS VERY GRACIOUS OF OUR COMMISSION TO AFFORD US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING, UH, AN EMPLOYEE FROM OUR BROADER TEAM BEFORE THIS BODY TO, UH, EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION.
SO YESTERDAY, THE ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE IS THEY HAVE THESE REALLY CLEVER WAYS OF SURPRISING THE HONOREE.
SO, UM, THIS WEEKEND IS AS MELANIE'S BIRTHDAY, SHE TURNS 21 AGAIN
SO IT WAS UNDER THE GUISE THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY YESTERDAY FOR DR. WAGNER.
AND SO DR AND CISO UNKNOWINGLY COMES IN AND WAS GREATLY SURPRISED TO FIND OUT AND PIVOTED TO HONORING HER.
SO, JUST A LITTLE FUN THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, SO WE'LL HAVE A, MAY I JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT? OH YEAH, SURE, SURE.
I WAS THE RECIPIENT OF TWO OF THE MOST ADORABLE KITTENS
SOMEBODY WAS FEEDING THEM EVERY TWO HOURS.
I GOT THEM AT A, AT A SURPRISE MEETING OF THE COMMISSION LAST MAY A YEAR AGO.
THEY ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, THRIVING, WONDERFUL CATS.
SOMEBODY DID THE MOST BEAUTIFUL JOB IN BRINGING THEM INTO THIS WORLD, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, JUST LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
GIVE EVERYBODY THE GOOD LIGHTING.
ONLY THE BEST FLUORESCENT LIGHTING.
OH, REALLY? BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING, DOCTOR? I JUST WANT TO SAY, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SEEING US.
UM, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE UP HERE AND LETTING YOU KNOW THAT FOR, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE WE DIDN'T FEEL SEEN AND WE DIDN'T FEEL WE BELONGED IN THIS WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THAT'S CHANGING AND THIS IS TESTAMENT TO THAT.
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DIRECTOR PRESENTATIONS PART TWO.I ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY KNOW I GET THE, UH, THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WORK AT MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE WEEK, AND IT IS OUR GATE ATTENDANT LEAD.
AND I'M ACTUALLY GONNA, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT, THIS IS PRETTY MUCH WHY HE IS UP HERE BECAUSE HE REALLY EXUDES THE, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WELCOMING THAT WE WANT TO, THAT ALL OUR STAFF TO DO.
AND SO, AND I TOLD HIM YESTERDAY, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN CHRIS WITHOUT A SMILE.
HE IS QUICK TO GREET EVERYONE THAT COMES IN HIS SPACE.
HE IS ALWAYS ASKING WHAT HE CAN DO.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA LET THE SUPERVISOR, UH, TALK ABOUT WHAT HE DOES.
MEGAN O'NEILL, SUPERVISOR OF EL DORADO REGIONAL PARK AND NATURE CENTER AGAIN.
SO, UH, CHRIS IS, AS JOY MENTIONED, ONE OF OUR LEAD, UH, STAFF OVER OUR REGIONAL PARK.
AND ONE OF OUR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS ACTUALLY HAVE THIS WONDERFUL, AND I'M CRY TOO,
UM, ANYWAY, ONE OF OUR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WROTE THIS WONDERFUL NOMINATION.
FIRST HIRED AS A GATE ATTENDANT AT THE EL DORADO EAST REGIONAL PARK AND NATURE CENTER IN 2022, CHRIS DISTINGUISHES DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS A RESPONSIBLE HARD WORKER.
HE TOOK ON NEW DUTIES AND TRAINED TO BECOME THE PARK'S NEWEST GATE LEAD LAST YEAR AT THE GATE AND AROUND THE PARK.
LEAD STAFF HAVE A VERY PUBLIC FACING ROLE.
CHRIS IS ALWAYS FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL TO PATRONS AND STAFF ALIKE.
SERVING AS AN EXCELLENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR BOTH OUR PARK AND OUR DEPARTMENT.
HE IS ALWAYS QUICK TO SUPPORT COWORKERS AND IS KNOWN FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO SEEK OUT EXTRA PROJECTS WHEN TIME ALLOWS.
HE RECENTLY TOOK UPON HIMSELF TO CREATE A CLEVER TEMPORARY FIX TO AN OUTDATED DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE UNTIL A NEW PERMANENT SIGN COULD BE INSTALLED.
THIS PREVENTED CONFUSION AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE SITUATIONS CAUSED THAT PATRONS DRIVING THE WRONG WAY IN OUR PARK.
HE ALSO CAME IN EARLY TO REMOVE ONE OF OUR NATURE CENTERS BELOVED TURTLE PLATFORMS, TO REFINISH IT.
SO CHRIS IS A BELOVED AND VALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR TEAM AT EL DORADO EAST REGIONAL PARK AND NATURE CENTER.
AND SO WITH THAT, CHRIS, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR PARK.
AND IF ANYBODY HERE, I'M GONNA DO A SHAMELESS PLUG RIGHT NOW, WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHRIS IN ACTION THIS SATURDAY AT OUR 10TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL.
CHRIS WILL BE, UH, RUNNING THROUGH THE PARK ASSISTING US WITH ALL OF THE MULTIPLE THINGS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, CHRIS.
AND AGAIN, YEAH, THE MAGIC C HAD A PORTRAYED OF ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, ONE OF CHRIS'S COWORKERS TO BE SURPRISED ONLY TO HAVE IT TURNED AROUND.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN TELL THE JOY THAT HE BRINGS TO OUR VISITORS.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, CHRIS, FOR PRO.
YOU GETTING MIDDLE TRAFFIC,
UH, I'M NOT ONE PRESTIGIOUS, BUT I DO WANT GIVE A SHOUT OUT, UH, TO MAG AND THE ED STAFF AND THE NUTRI CENTER STAFF.
UH, I'VE ALWAYS LEARNED BY THEIR EXAMPLE.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR, FOR A WHILE.
SHOULD WE LEAVE NOW? OH, NO, WE HAVE TO START THE MEETING.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, BEGIN WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE OF THE REGULAR AGENDA RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2024.
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DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO, SECOND.UH, ANY COMMENTS? SEPTEMBER 19TH.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SHOMAN SHOMAN.
YOU'RE AND, UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER OR AUDREY SMITH.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FEE WAIVER REQUEST, UH, REQUESTS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN ATTACHMENT A IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEE WAIVER POLICY.
UH, UM, DO WE HAVE A DISCUSSION PLEASE? DIRECTOR? THANK YOU.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY, UH, THIS MAY BE YOUR FIRST COMMISSION MEETING, UM, IT'S COMMON EVERY MONTH THAT THERE ARE, UM, EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE, UH, WHERE THERE'S THE ABILITY TO ASK OUR COMMISSION FOR A WAIVER OF FEES.
UH, AND SO THAT IS OUR ACTION ITEM AT THIS TIME ON THE AGENDA.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR BUREAU MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES, GLADYS KAISER, TO LEAD US TO THIS ITEM.
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A HANDFUL REQUEST TO BRING FORTH TO YOU.
UH, ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL CHA, UM, THIS IS, THEY'RE BECOMING A US CITIZEN.
UM, TODAY CITIZEN WORKSHOP TO BE HELD AT SISTER CHAVEZ PARK ON THE SOCIAL HALL.
IT'S A COMMUNITY EVENT ON OCTOBER 26TH, THEY'RE REQUESTING $465 IN FACILITY, A PERMIT FEES TO BE WAIVED, AND $510 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF BREATHE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THIS IS A NEW GROUP AND A NEW EVENT THEY'D LIKE TO HOST AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND WELLNESS FAIR AT DRAKE PARK IN THE OPEN SPACE ON NOVEMBER 9TH.
AGAIN, A COMMUNITY EVENT, $137 AND 50 CENTS IN FACILITY AND COMMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
STAFF CHARGES AGAIN ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL CHA.
UM, ANOTHER EVENT TO BE HELD AT ADMIRAL KIDD PARK IN THE SOCIAL HALL IN THE OPEN SPACE.
IT'S THEIR ANNUAL COMMUNITY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION ON DECEMBER 14TH.
UM, REQUESTING $840 IN FACILITY IMPROVEMENT FEES TO BE WEIGHED $510 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES.
THE NEXT, ALSO ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL CHA.
UM, IT'S A TOY DRIVE EVENT TO BE HELD AT SISTER CHAVEZ AMPHITHEATER AND THE SOCIAL HALL.
A COMMUNITY EVENT ON NOVEMBER 16TH, $865 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
$510 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF THE ROSE PARK ASSOCIATION, THEIR ANNUAL HOLIDAY AT ROSE PARK IN THE ROSE PARK OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT ON DECEMBER 19TH, $275 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE AWAIT AND ZERO APPLICABLE.
STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF THE LOS CERRITOS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
IT'S THEIR LCNA HARVEST FESTIVAL AT LOS CERRITOS PARK IN THE OPEN SPACE FOR A COMMUNITY EVENT ON OCTOBER 26TH, $215 IN FACILITY IMPROVEMENT IS REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED AND ZERO APPLICABLE.
STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF A RUN FOR YOUTH HOSTING A CHRISTMAS 5K RUN AT THE EL DORADO EAST PARK IN THE LAKEVIEW GROVE AREA.
FOR A COMMUNITY EVENT ON DECEMBER 21ST, THEY'RE REQUESTING $335 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES TO BE WAIVED.
ZERO APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES.
UM, THIS EVENT IS BEING HELD AT THE REGIONAL PARK, THEREFORE, THERE IS A GATE REVENUE, UM, ESTIMATED FOR 110 IN ATTENDANCE AT BEHALF OF THE NEWCOMB P ACADEMY.
IT'S THEIR ANNUAL RUN, LIKE IT'S RECESS EVENT AGAIN AT THE EL DORADO EAST REGIONAL PARK AREA THREE ON JANUARY 26TH, 2025, REQUESTING $2,650 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES TO BE WAIVED.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN EVENT THAT IS AT THE REGIONAL PARK.
SO GATE REVENUE EXPECTED FOR 775 GUESTS.
TOTAL FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED THIS MONTH IS $5,782 IN 50 CENTS.
AND COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
AT THIS TIME, WE OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THESE GROUPS TO SPEAK, UH, AND I WILL CALL THEM IN THE ORDER THAT THEY'VE BEEN PRESENTED.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM CENTRO CHA? THANK YOU.
STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE AND GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ARIANA S, COMMUNITY HEALTH JUSTICE MANAGER AT ROCHA.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT INFORMATION ON THE THREE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, CONSIDERATION FOR FEE WAIVERS.
NUMBER ONE IS THE BECOMING US CITIZEN TODAY, OUR A CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP.
THIS, UM, NEXT WEEK, OCTOBER 26TH AT, UH, VE PARK, VIRGINIA IS COMMUNITY CENTER IS A GREAT OPPORT.
YOU KNOW, WE HOST THESE WORKSHOPS, UM, ABOUT TWICE A YEAR, AND IN WHICH WE INVITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR LEGAL, PERMANENT RESIDENTS TO START THEIR CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION.
WE DO THAT PROCESS FREE OF CHARGE.
WE WALK THROUGH THEM AND COMPLETE THE IDEAS TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION TO MAIL 'EM OUT THAT WEEK.
UM, SO WE DID DO GET ABOUT 60 UP TO A
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HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS ABOUT LIKE 50 APPLICATIONS ARE, UM, MAILED OUT AS A RESULT OF THAT EVENT.SO IT'S A GREAT SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S ALWAYS, UM, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE PROVIDE, WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR ALSO THE
UM, ALSO WE HAVE NOVEMBER 16TH AT CHAVEZ PARK.
WE'RE HOSTING A TOY DRIVE, A COLLECTION OF TOYS FOR OUR ANNUAL, UM, HOLIDAY CELEBRATION ON DECEMBER 14TH AT AK PARK AT THE COMMUNITY TOY DRIVE.
WE'LL HAVE FREE FOOD FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COME DONATE TOYS FOR TO SUPPORT THAT EVENT.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THE DECEMBER 14TH EVENT AT AK PARK, WE'VE HOSTED THAT ANNUALLY FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW.
IT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EVENTS THAT WE HAVE.
WE PROVIDE UP TO 300 TOYS FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IF YOU ALL HAVE SEEN MANY PICTURES, THERE'S LIKE A LONG LINE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WAITING.
WE HAVE COMMUNITY RESOURCES ABOUT 30 ORGANIZATIONS COME OUT TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
FREE FOOD FOR EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE AND, UM, GAMES AND OPPORTUNITY IN, UM, ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR THE KIDS.
AND WE BRING OUT SANTA CLAUS TO TAKE PICTURES WITH THE KIDS AS WELL.
UM, SO THESE ARE GREAT EVENTS.
WE DO LIKE TO COME HERE TO SHOW APPRECIATION.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I HAVE SOME FLYERS FOR
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OR FROM THE AUDIENCE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THERE? HEARING NONE? UH, THE NEXT ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
LOS CERRITOS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, HOW ABOUT RUN FOR YOUTH? OKAY.
AND LAST I HAVE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THAT FOR GLADYS.
I, I DON'T, CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE IS LAKEVIEW GROVE, WILL PART OF THE PARK BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THAT? OR IS IT A, A REAL SMALL AREA THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S A SATURDAY IN DECEMBER, BUT IS THERE A PORTION OF THE PARK THAT'LL BE CLOSED? NO.
SO FOR THIS RE UH, FOR THIS RACE, IT'S A SMALLER, UM, ATTEND.
LAKEVIEW GROVE IS AN AREA TOO.
SO THAT IS FROM SPRING TO WARDLOW.
AND IT IS, IF YOU GO ALONG THE PATH THAT'S ON THE RIGHT HAND PART, BUT THEY PLAN TO RUN IN THE PATH OF THE PARK.
AND LAST, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM NEWCOMBE ACADEMY? HEARING NONE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, WITH THAT, WE WILL, UM, WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
NEXT, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY REPORTS.
UH, WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR OCTOBER, 2024.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? SO MOVED.
SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL THAT I DO HAVE A COUPLE ADDITIONAL THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU.
SO TODAY, UM, JUST REFLECTING BACK OVER THE PAST WEEK, SOME OF YOU MAY BE, HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE BOIL WATER ALERT THAT THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, THEY HAD A MAIN WATERLINE BREAK.
BUT I WANNA GIVE A GREAT SHOUT OUT TO GLADYS'S TEAM.
OUR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES TEAM JUST RALLIED TOGETHER, UH, AT BOTH HOWTON PARK AND SOMERSET PARK.
AND THEY DISTRIBUTED OVER 2000 CASES OF WATER TO AFFECTED, UH, UH, AREA RESIDENTS.
WE WERE, WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT IT ONLY LASTED ONE DAY, BUT GLASSES TEAM WAS ON THERE READY TO CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING THAT SERVICE JUST IN CASE.
SO THAT WAS REALLY, I THINK, A GREAT, UH, EXAMPLE OF HOW THE WHOLE CITY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE CITY, ONE TEAM COMES TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN MOMENTS OF, OF, UH, UM, AN EMERGENCY.
SO I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THEM.
UM, ALSO, I KNOW JEN AND CHRISTINE WILL SEND THIS TO YOU, BUT NEXT MONTH IT'S ACTUALLY BEFORE OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING ON TUESDAY THE 12TH OF NOVEMBER, AT ONE O'CLOCK WE'LL BE GATHERING OUT AT DAVENPORT PARK IN COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT TO CELEBRATE, UH, THROUGH A RIBBON CUTTING THE REALLY AMAZING NEW EXPANSION OF DAVENPORT PARK.
SO HOPEFULLY IF THAT DATE AND TIME WORKS FOR YOU, YOU CAN JOIN US FOR THAT, UH, VERY IMPORTANT OCCASION.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS LAST WEEK WE ALSO HAD A REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY MEETING OUT AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED SHEAR PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, AND I THINK EVERYONE WHO SPOKE, UM, I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, ALL OF THE, UH, DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, UH, OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS BECAUSE COUNCILMAN AL AUSTIN, THIS IS HIS, UH, FINAL COUPLE MONTHS OF SERVICE, UH, AFTER GREAT LEADERSHIP.
SO HE'S VERY PROUD OF DAVENPORT PARK.
AND THEN LATER IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, I THINK IT'S A DATE TO STILL BE DETERMINED, BUT THE, THE VISION PLAN FOR SHEAR PARK WILL BE PRESENTED, UH,
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BEFORE COUNCIL.I KNOW THIS CAME BEFORE THIS BODY AS DID HAMILTON LOOP AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR VISION PLAN.
AND THOSE WERE, UM, ELEMENTS THAT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS PARKS, RECREATION ARENA, AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES NIGHT THIS PAST TUESDAY, BECAUSE WE STARTED THE MEETING, UM, AFTER THE FILIPINO HERITAGE CELEBRATION IN THE LOBBY, UH, WITH OUR PET PRESENTATION.
SO MERCEDES, UH, WAS PRESENTED.
I DID HEAR OKAY, ALL LEFT THAT, UM, SHE WAS ADOPTED ALREADY.
UM, AND THEN SHE HAS A BROTHER CADILLAC.
THEY WERE TWO THAT WERE BOTH AMANDA.
THEY WERE ABANDONED IN THE MCDONALD'S PARKING LOT.
BUT THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, WITH MAYOR RICHARDSON'S, UH, ADVOCACY'S ALWAYS, UH, EXCITED AFTER HE TAKES A CLARITIN TO WALK THE, THE ANIMAL AROUND THE CITY CHAMBERS.
SO WE'RE BATTING 100 OR 1000%, I GUESS IF YOU'RE BASEBALL
UM, SO EVERY, EVERY ANIMAL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHOWCASE, UH, EVERY MONTH, UH, OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO I WANTED TO, I KNOW IT'S IN THE, THE REPORT, UM, BUT, UM, NEXT MONTH FOLLOWING THIS COMMISSION MEETING, WE'LL BE GATHERING OUT IN FRIENDSHIP PARK OR GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK.
ALWAYS GET THOSE MIXED UP, GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK AT OUR MEMORIAL TREE AND DO OUR ANNUAL READING OF THE NAME.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DEPARTMENT AS BIG AS WE ARE, UH, WITH THE HISTORY OF A LOT OF PEOPLE DEVOTING MANY YEARS OF SERVICE ON OCCASION, ONE OF OUR COWORKERS OR A LOVED ONE, UH, PASSES ON.
AND IT'S BEEN VERY MEANINGFUL TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, CLOSE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO HAVE THAT MOMENT TO REFLECT BACK ON THEIR LIFE AND THEIR SERVICE.
SO HOPEFULLY AFTER THE COMMISSION MEETING NEXT MONTH ON THE 21ST, UH, WE CAN GATHER OUT IN, UH, GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK FOR THAT EVENT.
AND THEN, UM, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED HERE RECENTLY, BUT, UM, I'LL JUST SAY RECENTLY, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEKEND, I WAS AT THE PRINCE OF WILLIS SPRINGS PARK.
UH, THEY HAD THEIR, THEIR MONTHLY MEETING, UH, ATOP THE BEAUTIFUL, UM, WHAT DO THEY CALL THE VIEWING POINT? IT'S, UH, LONG VIEW POINT, LONG VIEW, LONG VIEW POINT.
YEAH, IT'S, IT HAS AN AMAZING PANORAMIC VIEW OPPORTUNITY ACROSS, UH, LONG BEACH.
BUT I WAS ABLE TO UPDATE, UM, THE FRIENDS OF RURAL SPRINGS PARK ON A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THEY'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR WAS THE COUNCIL ACTION RECENTLY TO FINALLY DEDICATE AS PARKS AND PERPETUITY MOST OF THAT, THAT ACREAGE.
SO, UH, WE'RE ALSO MOVING FORWARD A TRAILHEAD PROJECT, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
AND, UH, THERE WAS, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING FOR THE WETLANDS, UH, EXPANSION PROJECT.
SO A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING OUT AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.
AND, UH, I THINK I MENTIONED EVERYTHING.
BUT YEAH, IT WAS REALLY A GREAT NIGHT.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A COUPLE MARINE BUREAU ITEMS THAT WERE, SO WE HAD EVERY CORNER OF OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, TOUCH WITH COUNCIL ACTION ON TUESDAY NIGHT.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR ME, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.
IF NOT, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT AND UPDATES.
UH, WILL THE FIELD AT DAVENPORT THAT'S IN THE DRAWING HERE, WILL THAT BE ARTIFICIAL? NO, IT'S LONG.
AND I DID MEET, UM, SO LAST MONTH, UM, I SPOKE AT THE UNITY FESTIVAL, WHICH IS JUST, UH, IT WAS HELD AT NORTH POINT APARTMENTS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM DAVENPORT PARK.
SO I MET WITH STEPHANIE AND STEVE.
THEY'RE THE, THE LEADERS OF THAT EVENT.
AND, UM, THEY'RE VERY ANXIOUS TO TRY TO HAVE THE UNITY FESTIVAL OF 2025 AT DAVENPORT PARK.
SO WE'RE GONNA WORK TO HOPEFULLY ACCOMPLISH THAT FOR THE, VIA A NICE ROOM.
BUT IT WAS 112 DEGREES ON THE, THE PARKING LOT PAVEMENT, THE UNITY FESTIVAL THIS PAST YEAR.
SO HAVING IT ON, UH, PLUS GREEN GRASS WOULD BE, I THINK WELCOME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? THANK YOU.
QUESTION ANY PUBLIC? OH, FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY.
THAT HEARING NONE, WE HAD A, A MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER ORI SMITH, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SEAN.
ALL IN FAVOR? A A OPPOSED? I KEEP HEARING THAT.
IT'S NOW TIME FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. UH, I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO READ THIS.
UH, THIS IS, WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE CHAIR.
AND, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESPOND SINCE THIS IS, THESE ARE NON AGENDA ITEMS. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY HERE THAT WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? YES, KAREN, SO YOU FIRST, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, THE END OF THIS MONTH, THE 22ND OF OCTOBER.
[00:30:02]
UH, IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS WE'VE BEEN AT THE SENIOR CENTER, AND WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE THERE DURING THIS TIME.JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS.
WE HAVE GIVEN AWAY OVER $70,000 IN GROCERY GIFT CARDS TO SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, INCLUDING VETERANS AND HANDICAP DISABLED INDIVIDUALS.
WE HAVE GIVEN AWAY OVER 400 COATS.
WE'VE HAD OVER 60, WHAT WE CALL FUN FRIDAYS, WHERE WE PROVIDE, UM, FOOD ITEMS TO THE SENIORS AS A LITTLE BONUS FOR THEIR WAITING AS THEY GET THE FOOD ON FRIDAYS.
OUR, UM, INTERNS HAVE CONTRIBUTED OVER 10,000 HOURS OF SERVICE AT THE SENIOR CENTER FOR EVENTS, WE'VE HOPE HOSTED NUMEROUS EVENTS.
AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THESE THINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY SENIORS.
SO KAREN, WE KNOW YOU AS KAREN, BUT FOR THOSE THAT YOU, CAN YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ASSOCIATION WITH YOUR GROUP, PLEASE? OH, OKAY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GREAT PANTHERS.
AND I'M ALSO ON THE LA COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING.
AND WHEN SHE SAID WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR FOUR YEARS, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW IT WAS THE GREAT PANTHER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS I SAW? GO AHEAD.
AND AGAIN, WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND THE ORGANIZATION? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ALICIA LOPEZ, AND I'M GONNA READ FOR THIS, BUT I NEED MY GLASSES TURNING 50, YOU KNOW,
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, MY NAME IS ALICIA AND I'VE BEEN A PROUD RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I'M A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG BOYS, 11-YEAR-OLD TWINS.
UM, BUT WE FREQUENT THE LOCAL PARKS AND SKATE PARKS REGULARLY.
HOWEVER, WE FIND OURSELVES DRIVING OVER 45 MINUTES TO OTHER CITIES, JUST ENJOY A PUMP TRACK.
THIS HAS MADE ME REALIZE THAT LONG BEACH IS MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A NEW TYPE OF RECREATION SPACE.
ONE THAT COULD NOT ONLY SERVE SKATEBOARDERS, BUT ALSO CYCLISTS, ROLLER SKATERS, INLINE SKATERS, SCOOTERS, AND EVEN WHEELCHAIR USERS.
GROWING UP, I HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF HOUGHTON PARK AND RAMONA PARK, WHERE MY FAMILY AND I ENJOYED FREE LUNCHES AND PLAYED IN THE WATER ACTIVITIES.
THESE MOMENTS HAVE BEEN FORMATIVE, AND I WANT TODAY'S KIDS TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE LASTING MEMORIES AT OUR PARKS.
UM, IN FACT, THIS IS ONE REASON I STEPPED UP TO SERVE AS A PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSIONER IN THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT PARKS CHANGE, KIDS' LIVES AND PARKS ARE WHERE KIDS HAVE FUN, STAY ACTIVE AND MAKE FRIENDS.
BIG KIDS LIKE MYSELF TOO, LIKE TO HAVE FUN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN A CONSIDERATION FOR ANOTHER SKATE PARK, UM, WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, BUT I ALREADY, UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THESE SKATE PARKS IN THE CITY OF PROT.
TRACK, HOWEVER, OFFERS A UNIQUE INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE THAT ATTRACTS A WIDER RANGE OF USERS AND PROVIDES A FRESH, EXCITING SPACE FOR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF ALL AGES, COMMISSION AND STAFF.
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
IN YOUR HAND, YOU HAVE THE PROPOSAL, UM, WHICH INCLUDES THE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUMP TRACK.
I INVITE YOU TO VISIT THE NEARBY PUMP TRACK, WHICH IS INGLEWOOD THE CITY, AND WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT HAS ON ITS COMMUNITY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS PROPOSAL.
I HOPE THAT THE COMMISSION SEIZES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE OUR CITY'S RECREATIONAL OFFERINGS BY ADDING A PUN TRACK AND REALLY JUST BRINGING THIS AWESOME FACILITY TO LONG BEACH, WHERE BOTH LITTLE KIDS AND BIGGER KIDS LIKE MYSELF AND NATE CAN HAVE SOME FUN.
I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF SEWING SEEDS OF CHANGE, ONE OF THE PARK PARTNERS AND EXCITINGLY, THIS IS OUR FOUR YEAR.
THIS MONTH MARKS OUR FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSARY BEING A, A PARTNER WITH THE PARKS.
UM, WE'RE LOCATED DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, RIGHT OFF THE SEVENTH, 10 AND SEVENTH STREET, WHICH IS A VERY ROUGH AREA.
AND I BROUGHT SOME OF MY YOUTH HERE.
UM, WE RUN A VOCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE AGING OUT OF SERVICES.
SO WE TARGET YOUTH THAT ARE 18 AND OVER.
WE ALSO WORK WITH FOSTER YOUTH, TEACHING THEM VOCATIONAL SKILLS, SOFT JOB SKILLS, EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH URBAN AGRICULTURE, CULINARY, AND, UM, SERVING THE WIDER COMMUNITY THROUGH, UM, OFFERING FOOD ACCESS.
SO WE ARE HERE TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS.
UM, WITH OUR AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN
[00:35:01]
HAVING RECENTLY, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TRANSIENT FOLKS IN AND OUT OF OUR, UM, SITE ON THE OUTSIDE.A LOT OF OUR YOUTH WERE PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE, AND A LOT OF THEM TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
MOST OF THEM HAVE TO WALK TO OUR SITE, AND IT'S BEEN BECOME INCREDIBLY UNSAFE.
UM, RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN VANDALIZED.
OUR SITE HAD BEEN BROKEN INTO, WE HAD, UH, MOST OF OUR MATERIALS STOLEN.
SO RECOVERING FROM THAT WAS REALLY CHALLENGING.
BUT SINCE THEN I'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME OF OUR STUDENTS BEING HARASSED BY SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR LOCATION.
AND SO I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND, UM, THEIR CONCERN WITH SAFETY.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF, BONNIE, RIGHT NOW.
SO A STRANGER GUY WAS CALLING US, UM, ME, BRIAN, AND ANOTHER KID WHOSE NAME IS
HE WAS TRYING TO GIMME JUICE AND GET IN THE CAR.
SO I IGNORED IT AND I RAN AWAY.
AND THEN I CALLED LINDSAY AS I WAS FOLLOWING US.
SO SHE CALLED THE POLICE RIGHT AWAY.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT, BECAUSE SHE LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO SHE NORMALLY WALKS TO AND FROM, UM, HER HOME TO GET TO OUR LOCATION.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WALKING
I GET SCARED TO GO BY MYSELF WALKING.
BRIAN, YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF OR, UM, MY NAME IS BRIAN.
I AM, UM, LIKE I'M SCARED TOO, KIND OF A LITTLE BIT AND STUFF.
ONE TIME THE GUY ASKED ME LIKE, GIMME THE JUICE AND STUFF.
IT KIND OF, AND I JUST KIND OF RAN.
AND THEN HE HAD A TATTOO KIND OF TATTOO TOO ON HIS, UM, LEG, ARM KIND OF ARM.
AND I TRANSFERRED THE BUS, SAFE BUS AND THEN JUST WENT AWAY TOO.
SO BRIAN USUALLY TAKES PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
HIS PARENTS DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TAKING, HAVING HIM DO THAT ANYMORE.
UM, SALVADOR WILL INTRODUCE HIMSELF AS WELL.
UH, MY NAME'S SALVADOR, SO I REGARD IT IS, UM, WE, I WALK IN THE GARDEN TOO, BUT IT'S A SKETCHY PLACE AND PEOPLE LIKE IT'S SKETCH.
SO TO WALK BY MYSELF, IT'S NOT SAFE.
SO IN THE AFTERNOON, ME AND NICK EIGHT, WE ALWAYS WALK BY OURSELVES IN THE AFTERNOON BACK HOME, BUT IT'S NOT SAFE.
SO I AM EXCITED TO BRING THEM JUST TO SEE THE WHOLE PROCESS AND INTRODUCE THEM, UM, TO, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS HERE.
UM, I INVITE SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN ME, SOME OTHER CITY OFFICIALS, UM, SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THAT ARE GONNA BE DOING A SITE TOUR SITE VISIT TO COLLABORATE ON SOME CREATIVE WAYS WHERE WE CAN MAKE THIS PLACE SAFE AGAIN.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE NEXT THURSDAY AT NINE O'CLOCK.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I CAN MEET WITH YOU AFTER AND SEND YOU THE INVITE.
UH, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.
I KNOW, BUT I JUST, CAN I MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT AT SOME POINT? OBJECTION DURING OUR REGULAR DISCUSSION.
IS THAT OKAY? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? YES, SIR.
WHAT PARK? YEAH, WHAT PARK? IT'S IN THE DRAKE CHAVEZ.
IT'S RIGHT BY THE BOTTOM OF THE HOTTY BUILDING OR BODY BUILDING.
YEAH, IT'S LIKE THE CONNECTOR.
IT'S PART OF, IT'S PART OF THE CONNECTIVE SPACE IN A REAL POSITIVE WAY.
THAT YOUR QUESTION? NO, I THERE LOT LIKE THERE ALSO.
I OWN LONG BEACH BIKE FIT HERE WITH ALICIA.
IN REGARDS TO THE PUMP TRACK, IF YOU HAVE THE PAMPHLET, THERE'S SOME PICTURES OF SOME REALLY CUTE LITTLE GIRLS IN THERE RIDING ON THE PUMP TRACK.
MY DAUGHTER'S, UH, LUCY AND RUBY LUCY'S NOW SIX.
RUBY IS NOT EVEN THREE YET, AND SHE'S ALREADY RIDING ON THE PUMP TRACKS THAT WE'VE GONE TO.
SO, UM, I AM SHOWING THE PROOF, I GUESS YOU CAN BE TWO YEARS OLD UP TO, SO YOU CAN'T RIDE A BIKE ANYMORE.
THAT, UH, PUMP TRACKS CAN WORK FOR JUST A REALLY LARGE DEMOGRAPHIC, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF YOUNGER KIDS OR OLDER, OLDER ADULTS ON SKATE PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THE DIVERSIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE IS UNPARALLELED.
I THINK I'M A LITTLE BIT BIASED AS FAR AS BIKES GO.
UM, DURING COVID, BASICALLY TWO THINGS WERE REALLY HARD TO GET TOILET PAPER AND ANYTHING BICYCLE RELATED.
UH, BIKES WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE'S OUTLET.
[00:40:01]
THEY, THEY, I MEAN, THEY TRIED RUNNING AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, NOPE, NOT GONNA DO THAT.UH, AND, AND A LOT OF STUDIES HAVE SHOWN, AND, AND NUMBERS HAVE SHOWN BASICALLY IN 2019, THE ANNUAL BIKE REVENUE SALES, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF IN THE UNITED STATES WAS $4.5 BILLION LAST YEAR.
$6.3 BILLION BIKES HAVE OBVIOUSLY EXPLODED.
YOU SEE KIDS EVERYWHERE ON 'EM, EVEN THE ELECTRIC ONES, WHATEVER ELSE.
UM, BUT BIKES ARE ON THE UP AND UP.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEIR TWO MOST FORMATIVE TIMES AS A KID, AS A YOUNG ADULT.
ONE, YOU LEARN HOW TO RIDE YOUR BIKE, GIVES YOU THE FREEDOM.
TWO, YOU'RE GETTING YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND THOSE ARE THINGS YOU SEE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT LIKE HOW MUCH BIKES CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
SO GETTING A PUNK TRACK IN LONG BEACH, I THINK WOULD BE, I MEAN, FOR ME, FOR MY FAMILY, MONUMENTAL.
AND I THINK IT WOULD HELP A LOT OF KIDS JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PLACE TO GO OTHER THAN THE TYPICAL SKATE PARK WHERE IT REALLY, BIKES JUST CAN'T PERFORM THERE UNLESS YOU'RE TRYING TO GET YOUR WHEELS OFF THE GROUND, WHICH MOST PEOPLE WANT TO KEEP THEIR WHEELS ON THE GROUND, WHICH I KIND OF RECOMMEND.
UM, AND SO BRINGING A PUMP TRACK HERE WOULD ALLOW THE YOUTH SOMEWHERE TO GO AND, I MEAN, ALLOW THE PARENTS AND ADULTS TO GET ON THERE TOO AND PLAY AROUND.
THEY'RE REALLY NOT DANGEROUS BEING, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF ROLLING HILLS.
SO, UM, WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE THING THERE.
AS FAR AS OTHER PLACES IN RECENT THAT HAVE KIND OF BROUGHT BIKES TO THE FOREFRONT, UH, MENIFEE CREATED A SIX ACRE BIKE PARK.
I MEAN, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OVERDONE, BUT LIKE A FULL JUMP SECTION, A PUMP TRACK, A BUNCH OF STUFF.
THREE ACRES, BUNCH OF BIKE STUFF.
TEMECULA HAS A PUMP TRACK, INGLEWOOD HAS A PUMP TRACK.
SO ANYWAYS, I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT IDEA.
I HOPE YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH THE PAMPHLET AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THERE.
AND, UH, YEAH, ANY QUESTIONS? WE'D LOVE TO HELP YOU GUYS.
UH, ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? UH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO.
WE ARE ALLOWED TO ASK A SPECIFIC QUESTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT BE AT THAT MEETING FOR SOWING THE SEEDS.
CAN YOU PLEASE SEND, YOU HAVE MY EMAIL, CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME AN UPDATE ON THE MEETING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE? DEFINITELY.
UM, IT'S NOW TIME FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE, UH, MAY I ASK ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, SURE.
JUST WANNA SHARE AS YOU GO, YOUR CREATE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE RECENTLY POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, OUR FOURTH 40TH ANNUAL, UH, CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP.
SO THIS IS LED BY OUR NATURE CENTER TEAM WITH MAY, WHO IS HERE.
AND OUR TEAM, UM, THEY HOST A VARIETY OF SITES THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY AND INVITE, AND YOU SEE THE PICTURE, IT'S NEVER TOO YOUNG TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER, UM, TO HELP CLEAN UP NOT ONLY OUR PARKS, BUT OUR BEACHES.
UM, AND THEY COLLECTED, UH, 3,300 POUNDS OF TRASH IN JUST THREE HOURS.
SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT FOR THAT EVENT, AND THAT'S AN ONGOING.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE CAUGHT, UH, MEGAN'S TEAM, UM, OUT OF THE NATURE CENTER, UM, WORKS WITH ALL OF VOLUNTEER GROUPS, UH, YEAR ROUND TO COLLECT TRASH AT OUR BEACHES.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT JUST A ONETIME EVENT, BUT THIS IS JUST A HIGHLIGHT ON BEHALF OF, UM, OUR ANNUAL COASTAL, UH, CLEANUP.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, SO SHE'LL ROLL RIGHT INTO EVENT.
SHE INVITES YOU TO OUR HALLOWEEN, HOW HOWL THAT'S COMING UP.
UM, AND SHE KIND OF DOWNPLAYS IT.
SHE KEEPS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE.
SO IF YOU DON'T PLAN TO ATTEND, STAY AWAY FROM SPRING STREET, UH, UPCOMING SATURDAY.
BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT FOR, UH, YOUTH AND FAMILIES, UM, TO COME IN, UM, TOGETHER SEPARATE.
SO EVERYONE IS INVITED TO COME IN THIS SATURDAY AS SHE CONVERTS THE NATURE CENTER INTO A WONDERFUL HALLOWEEN EVENT.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, UM, IS IMMEDIATELY ON THE FIFTH IS OUR EL DORADO, UM, ANNUAL, UH, NATIVE PLANT SALE.
I KNOW OUR, OUR BOSS IS, UH, VERY FOND OF.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR NATIVE PLANTS, THIS IS WHERE TO, UM, GET THEM.
UM, JUST ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN OUR YOUTH SPORTS FLAG, FOOTBALL AND VOLLEYBALL SEASON.
UM, THAT'S, UH, OUT OF ALL OF OUR PARK IN SCHOOL SITES.
AND WE ALSO PARTNER, UM, WITH SIGNAL HILLS CAN BE A PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT IS ON, THEY PRACTICE DURING THE WEEK AND THEY PLAY ON SATURDAY.
SO WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO RAMP UP FOR OUR NEXT SEASON, WHICH WILL BE, UM, BASKETBALL.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT LOTS GOING ON IN COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES AND THOSE ARE JUST HIGHLIGHTS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE STILL GONNA BE IN SESSION AT 10 17 TODAY, WHICH IS THE OFFICIAL, UH, TIME FOR THE GREAT SHAPE OUT.
UH, SO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING ALONG WITH TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
[00:45:01]
WORLDWIDE, UH, IN AN EXERCISE AND REMINDER OF, UH, THE POTENTIAL, UH, FOR EARTHQUAKES AND HOW WE CAN PREPARE AND RECOVER FROM THAT.SO, UM, ORDINARILY WE'D BE GETTING UNDER OUR TABLES AT 10 17 AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY WILL BE DOING THAT.
WE'LL ALSO BE EXERCISING, TESTING OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IN, IN CATASTROPHIC TIMES WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.
UM, AND, UH, SO FOR US IN THIS ROOM, IT'S REALLY JUST A REMINDER.
IT'S A REMINDER THAT IT'S NOT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE, IT'S WHEN, AND WE JUST NEED TO BE PREPARED.
A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE, UH, ON WHAT TO PRO, YOU KNOW, HAVE AT YOUR HOME, HAVE AT YOUR WORK, HAVING YOUR CAR.
UM, SO AGAIN, A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE AND REALLY THIS IS JUST A REMINDER THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED.
JUST A FEW THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT FROM PARKS PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, AS BRENT MENTIONED, THE MLK VISION PLAN WAS WELL RECEIVED AT THIS PAST COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THE SHEER PARK VISION PLAN THAT DAY IS ACTUALLY NOVEMBER 19TH.
UM, SO IT'LL BE COMING UP SOON FOR THAT WORK CONTINUES TO BE DONE AT MANY OF OUR PARKS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOME OF THE WORK COME TO TUITION.
IF YOU GO JUST OUT HERE AT EL DORADO AT THE FALL FIELD FIVE AND SIX, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE FENCING IS COMPLETE.
THEY'RE JUST WAITING FOR ONE SHADE THING THAT'S ON BACK ORDER TO BE PLACED ON THE FENCES TO PROVIDE SHADE OVER THERE.
AND THE RESTROOMS CONTINUE TO BE WORKED ON AS WELL AS VARIOUS OTHER PARK PROJECTS, INCLUDING MACARTHUR PARK AND QUITE A FEW OTHER THINGS.
UM, STARTING THIS WEEK THOUGH, BACK IN JUNE, YOU ALL HAD THE PRESENTATION AND APPROVED THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT MURALS THAT ARE GOING ON, THERE'S NINE OF 'EM.
SO THREE OF THEM STARTING WILL BE STARTING INSTALLATION THIS WEEK OVER AT MONA AND BRIDE AND RECREATION PARKS.
AND THE REST OF 'EM WILL BE INSTALLED LATER ON IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE.
GOT A COUPLE THINGS FOR MAINTENANCE.
UH, RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER AT, UH, THE VACANT LOT OVER AT 14TH STREET, TRYING TO GET THAT, THAT, UH, VACANT PARCEL IMPROVED.
UH, MOST RECENTLY WE INSTALLED A PERIMETER FENCE, UH, IN IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND, UH, ARE PLANTING TO SEED AND PLANT SOME TREES OVER THERE.
SO IT MAKES THAT, THAT, UH, OLD RESTAURANT A USABLE SPACE AGAIN.
UM, ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE PREPPING FOR THE WINTER SEASON, SO YOU'LL BE SEEING, UM, UM, SOME TREE WORK AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE COASTAL ZONE, OTHER PARKS THAT ARE STILL HAVING, UH, THAT HAVEN'T HAD THEIR TREES TRIMMED YET.
UM, AND HAVING OUR, TRYING TO GET THE, THE ROOFS READY FOR, UH, FOR WINTER SO THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH DEBRIS ON THEM.
YES, I, WE CAN ASK A QUESTION, UM, WHERE THE RESTAURANT WAS, IS THAT EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE ACTIVATED OR IS THAT GONNA REMAIN TURF AND TREES AND JUST AN OPEN SPACE? I MEAN, IN THE MEANTIME IT'LL BE, UH, JUST OPEN SPACE.
I THINK AS DEVELOPMENT COMES IN FUNDS AND WHAT THAT, UH, WHAT THE DESIGN IS GONNA BE OVERALL, THAT'LL BE THE FULL DEVELOPMENT.
BUT FOR NOW IT'LL JUST BE AN OPEN SPACE.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT PERMANENT.
THAT WAS EXCELLENT UPDATE RO AND THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ADVANCING THAT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UM, PARTICULARS WHEN WE WERE REINSTATED FOR A GOOD STANDING WITH LA COUNTY, THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE SMALL PROJECTS THEY WANTED TO, TO SEE US BRING TO SOME LEVEL OF COMPLETION.
BUT, UH, MAYBE STEPPING BACK TO SHER'S UPDATES, UM, THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH CENTER, UM, INTERACTION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTEREST IN SEEING THAT PARCEL AS A POSSIBLE LOCATION FOR A NEW YOUTH CENTER.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE TIGHT IN TERMS OF SPACE, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO, UM, PRECLUDE THAT SINCE IT'S IN THE CONVERSATION.
SO DOING THINGS THAT ARE GONNA AESTHETICALLY ENHANCE IT.
SO IT IS GONNA LOOK MORE PARK-LIKE, UH, RATHER THAN JUST KIND OF A DUSTY GRAVEL LOT, WHICH WE'VE HAD CHALLENGES WITH SOME OF THE ADJACENT BUSINESSES, PARKING TRUCKS AND THINGS.
SO BY FENCING IT AND, UH, AT LEAST TURNING IT INTO A TREE LINE TURF AREA, IT GIVES SOME GREEN OPEN SPACE FOR THE NEIGHBORING KIDS.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER NICE IMPROVEMENTS IN 14TH STREET WITH THE BASKETBALL COURT AND UPDATING THE PLAYGROUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I DO WANT TO JUST SPEAK HIGH LEVEL FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE ONGOING CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WITH, UM, PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, AND RA'S TEAM IN PARTICULAR WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOMELESS SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT DOES TAKE, UH, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND TRY TO ADVANCE SOME INTO ACCEPTING SERVICES AND HOUSING.
[00:50:01]
GROUP THAT FOR WHATEVER THEIR PERSONAL REASONS ARE, THEY REFUSE THAT AND THEY STILL ARE OUT IN THE PUBLIC WAY QUITE OFTEN IN OUR PARKS.BUT, UM, THE FOCUS THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TODAY AT, UH, CESAR CHAVEZ OR DRANK CHAVEZ PARK IN THE SOWING THE SEEDS AREA, UM, IT'S ALSO A SIMILAR CHALLENGE AT ADVENTURES TO DREAMS. I KNOW MISS SHEILA HAS COME BEFORE US.
THEY BOTH OFFER EXCELLENT PROGRAMMING FOR THE AREA YOUTH AND FAMILIES.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO HELP SUPPORT THEM WHEREVER WE CAN AS DEPARTMENT RESOURCES.
BUT THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL RECENTLY IN SOME OF THE MORE FOCUSED OR TARGETED, UH, AREAS.
SO LINCOLN PARK HAS BEEN GREATLY IMPROVED.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, IN CAMPING OR CAMPING IN THE PARK HAVE MOVED ON.
UH, I KNOW WE HAD A REALLY VERY, VERY POSITIVE, UH, EVENT THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE SPONSORED ON SATURDAY.
IT WAS A SKATE AND SHOE DROP EVENTS OR FOURTH ANNUAL, THE PARK WAS FULL OF PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE, THAT KIND OF POSITIVE ACTIVATION.
AND THEN VETERANS PARK WAS ANOTHER HIGHER PRIORITY FOCUS AREA, AND THERE WERE, I THINK 13 OR 14, THEY CALL 'EM HOUSEHOLDS, BUT IT'S ENCAMPMENTS THAT QUITE OFTEN HAVE MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN EACH ONE.
MOST OF THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS DID ACCEPT HOUSING.
SO VETERANS PARK IS, IS MUCH, UM, MORE WELCOMING AND SAFER AND CLEAN.
SO WE HAVE SIMILAR FOCUS AT HARVEY MILL PARK, THE PROMENADE CORRIDOR,
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A CITYWIDE CHALLENGE, BUT I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY AS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS COME TOGETHER, IT'S STARTING TO HAVE SOME NOTICEABLE IMPACT OR IMPROVEMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AT A HIGH LEVEL.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT OUR PARTS TO BE SAFE AND CLEAN AND WELCOMING, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL SHARED IS A REALITY AND, UM, IT'S JUST SOME OF THE FACTORS ARE HARD FOR US AS A SINGLE DEPARTMENT TO FAIRLY EMPATHETICALLY ADDRESS.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
ONE OF THE REALLY COOL INITIATIVE I DID THINK IS ONE OF THINGS, ONE OF THE OTHER REALLY COOL INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING AT AS A PILOT PROJECT.
THERE'S, UH, KIND OF A, A NEW AND APPROVED ENGINEERED PORTABLE RESTROOM UNIT CALLED THE LEFT THE THRONE.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME, UH, PILOT PROJECT SITES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE, UH, QUALITY PERMANENT RESTROOMS OR, UM, THE EXISTING RESTROOMS HAD BEEN PROBLEMATIC.
SO LIKE A DEFOREST PARK, WE HAD A FIRE THAT TOOK OUR FREESTANDING RESTROOMS OUTTA SERVICE.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE PORTA JOHNS AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S LIKE ONE STANDARD.
THIS THRONE IS ACTUALLY A SERVICE, UM, TYPE PILOT WHERE THE COMPANY COMES OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEY CLEAN IT AND MAINTAIN IT.
AND IT'S, THE DESIGN OF IT IS MORE DURABLE, MORE I THINK, FITTING FOR OUR PARK.
SO WE LOOKED AT, UH, PUTTING, UH, FOR THE PILOT, UH, A UNIT BY HARVEY MILK PARK, BY THE PARKING STRUCTURE, UH, BY THE VILLAGE, JEAN KING MAIN LIBRARY BY THE PARKING STRUCTURE.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST BEING A REALIST KNOWING THAT THERE ARE POPULATIONS OF UNHOUSED THAT CONTINUE TO NEED THAT TYPE OF FACILITY.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO STRATEGICALLY LOCATE THEM IN AREAS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK AS A POSSIBLE, UH, LOCATION, BELMONT PIER, UH, AGAIN, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MAYBE A SHORTAGE OF RESTROOM FACILITIES.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I'M EXCITED BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH, UH, TO PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES OUT IN OUR PARKS THAT I THINK UPGRADE THE QUALITY AND THE WELCOMING NATURE OF, OF, OF THE, UH, THE RESTROOMS. AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS, AND THIS KIND OF GOES ON TO THE PUMP TRACK, I DID HAVE A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION WITH ALICIA RECENTLY IN THE LAST WEEK OR SOMETIMES.
UM, I REALLY LOVE HER PASSION FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PUMP TRACK ELEMENT.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE THAT WAS UNOFFICIALLY DEVELOPED IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF WILL SPRINGS PARK.
UM, I WILL SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD RETAIN OR EXPAND, BUT THERE IS A MASTER PLAN FOR THE PARK AND WE WANT TO HONOR THAT.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT DOES SHOWCASE THAT THAT'S ANOTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY THAT PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY.
AND IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR TO THREE YEARS AGO WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PICKLEBALL COURTS AND THAT WAS AN UNMET RECREATIONAL NEED.
I THINK IT WOULD BE SAFE TO SAY THAT SOMETHING LIKE A PUMP TRACK FOR BICYCLISTS IS MAYBE ANOTHER UNMET RECREATIONAL NEED.
SO AS WE ADVANCE OUR CITYWIDE SKATE PARK FEASIBILITY STUDY, WE HAVE HAD INPUT AND SUGGESTIONS FROM ROLLER, THE ROLLER SKATING COMMUNITY AND NOW THE BIKE COMMUNITY
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PER PUMP TRACK.SO IT'S NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES WHEN WE SUGGEST SOME OF THESE HIGH PRIORITY POSSIBLE LOCATIONS CITYWIDE THAT, AGAIN, BASED ON FUNDING, IT COULD BE MORE THAN JUST A SKATE PARK AS WE'RE USED TO SKATE PARKS LIKE AT SILVERADO OR 14TH STREET, ET CETERA.
IT COULD HAVE OTHER DIMENSIONS THAT ARE EQUALLY WELCOMING FOR ROLLER SKATERS, UH, BMX OR PUMP TRACK BIKERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE ARE PLANNING, UH, I THINK SOMETIME IN EITHER THE END OF NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER TO BRING, IT'S CALLED A TFF, IT'S A TWO FOUR FROM TYPE MEMO.
THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH THE NORTH LONG BEACH POOL FEASIBILITY STUDY.
IT REALLY GOES DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FROM THE CITY MANAGER FROM THE ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT.
BUT I THINK MAYBE AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING WE COULD PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITYWIDE STUDY.
AND SHERMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, WE HAD, I THINK OVER 650 SURVEY INPUTS, WHICH BASED ON OTHER SIMILAR CITY DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD, UM, INPUT, UH, UH, AMOUNT OF IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS.
SO I THINK THAT MIGHT BE OF GREAT INTEREST TO THIS BODY TO MAYBE TRY TO GET ON THE AGENDA.
YOU KNOW, IF I KEEP TALKING LONG ENOUGH, WE COULD DO THE SHAKE.
BUT ANYWAY, I WANTED TO ADD, I KNOW YOU ALWAYS BEAR WITH ME AT THE END WHEN WE GO AROUND THE TABLE, I ALWAYS THINK OF A COUPLE OTHER THINGS, BUT I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING CHALLENGE OF HOMELESSNESS AND THE IMPACT OF ENCAMPMENTS, THE THRONE INITIATIVE, THE PILOT PROJECT, AND, UM, THE CITYWIDE STATE PARK FEASIBILITY STUDY.
SO THANK I, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE, SO THANK YOU
LET START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER HIGA.
UM, ONE OF WHICH, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I'M A TEACHER AT POLY HIGH SCHOOL.
MY, UM, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO TEACHES ACROSS THE HALL FROM ME TEACHES NINTH GRADE HEALTH IN OUR MEDS PATHWAY.
THAT'S THE, UH, MEDICAL PATHWAY.
AND YESTERDAY THEY TOOK A FIELD TRIP, A WALKING FIELD TRIP ACTUALLY FROM POLY TO WILLOW SPRINGS.
AND, UM, AGAIN, SHE TEACHES HEALTH, BUT PART OF WHAT SHE AND UM, AND THE OTHER TEACHERS WITHIN THAT MEDS PATHWAY FOCUS ON IS MENTAL HEALTH.
AND SO I JUST, I WANTED TO QUOTE A LITTLE BIT OF THE EMAIL THAT SHE SENT OUT ABOUT THAT, UM, ABOUT THAT FIELD TRIP.
SHE SAID, UM, THIS IS THE COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT WILLOW SPRINGS IS A COMMUNITY PARTNER OF OUR MEDS PATHWAY IN WHICH WE'LL BE LEARNING ABOUT HOW HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE CAN HELP SUPPORT HUMANS THROUGH STRESS, TRAUMA, AND ANXIETY.
WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING WITH THE PARK DIRECTOR, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S REFERRING TO YOU OR NOT FRIEND, UM, IN LEARNING ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S ENVIRONMENTAL CARE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCATING AND PROTECTING OUR WILD PLACES.
SO JUST WANTED TO SHOUT THAT OUT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL THAT, UM, AGAIN, WE LIVE IN A VERY URBAN ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY MY STUDENTS WHO LIVE NEAR NEAR POLY.
BUT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE, UM, THOSE GREEN SPACES AVAILABLE WHERE, WHERE, ESPECIALLY A PLACE LIKE WILL SPRINGS OR LIKE, UM, THE EL NATURE CENTER WHERE IT REALLY DOES FEEL WILD.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A SPECIAL, SPECIAL THING.
AND SO TO TIE THAT INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MY STUDENTS, UM, WHO ARE GOING THROUGH ALL SORTS OF THE NORMAL EVERYDAY TRAUMA, THE NORMAL EVERYDAY ANXIETY OF BEING A TEENAGER, AND THEN A LOT OF THEM, ESPECIALLY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, GOING THROUGH THINGS LIKE, UM, THINGS THAT, THAT ARE, WOULD BE BEYOND NORMAL.
UM, AND SO BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO NATURE IN THAT WAY IS, IS REALLY SPECIAL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT THE PARKS FOR THAT.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE TO VOTE IN A COUPLE WEEKS ON THE, ON THE 5TH OF NOVEMBER.
YEAH, UH, SHORT AND STATE, I JUST WANTED GIVE THANK YOU TO THE TEAM THAT DID ACTIVATE FOR THE BOIL WATER, UM, CHALLENGE.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT JUST SHOWS, RIGHT, THE, THE QUICK ACTIVATION THAT THE TEAM CAN COME TOGETHER AND PROVIDE SO MUCH I YOU SHARING THAT, RIGHT? WE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN IF WE DIDN'T LIVE IN THAT AREA.
SO, UM, I THINK THINGS LIKE THAT, SHARING AND BEING THANKFUL.
YEAH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER OR CHIEF SMITH.
SO I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE YOUTH WHO JUST SPOKE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO COME TO A COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE YOU'VE NEVER BEEN, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE FROM, TO GET UP IN PUBLIC, UM, TO SHARE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS, COULD HAVE BEEN STRESSFUL, TRAUMATIC, COULD HAVE HAD AN IMPACT IN YOUR LIFE.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR YOUTH WHO SPOKE AND PLEASE KNOW THAT I'M COMMITTED.
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ACTUALLY MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO I'M COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING YOU IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND SO JUST REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY WHAT NEEDED TO BE SAID IN A PUBLIC SPACE.
AND I LOVE THE PRESENTATION ON THE BIKE TRACK.
I WANNA KEEP IT IN OUR CONVERSATION AND THAT WAY
[01:00:01]
WE ADD A DIVERSE, UM, WE ADD DIVERSITY TO OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECREATION.UM, I, I HEAR WE'VE BEEN SCOLDED FOR INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC AND THAT WAS PROBABLY WHILE I WAS CHAIR.
I, I FELT THAT INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC AND POSSIBLY VIOLATING THE THE BROWN ACT WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING RUDE.
SO IF, IF WE SEEM RUDE, I, I, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE HAVE SOME RULES.
SO ANYTHING I SAY HERE IS EITHER A DECLARATIVE STATEMENT OR A RHETORICAL QUESTION.
SO, UM, I TOO WANNA THANK, UH, ANNA AND BRIAN AND SALVADOR FOR COMING AND SPEAKING IN PUBLIC.
THAT IS A, A TOUGH AREA AND I THINK THAT SOWING THE SEEDS, ACTIVATING THAT AREA IS HUGE.
UM, IF YOU WILL GIVE THE INFORMATION TO CHRISTINE OR, UH, UM, JENNY, I, I WILL TRY TO BE THERE NEXT WEEK.
UH, SO I HOPE THAT YOU'RE SU SUCCESSFUL ON THAT.
UH, NATE, I DID WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BUY A BIKE AT THE START OF THE, THE COVID THING, SO I KNOW HOW TOUGH IT WAS THAT IT WAS, IT WAS TOUGH.
AFTER THAT, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO, TO TO SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE HAVE AN ITEM WHERE WE CAN DISCUSS THINGS LIKE THAT.
I USED TO WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE LAND IS SCARCE, AND SO SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES LAND IS ALWAYS GONNA BE DIFFICULT, BUT AT LEAST GET IT ON OUR RADAR AND PUT IT IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, UM, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN FINALLY, CONTINUING THE YEAR OF BILLIE JEAN KING, OUR OWN BILLIE JEAN KING WILL BE THE CHAIR OF THE, OR THE, UH, MARK GRAND MARSHALL OF THE ROSE PARADE.
SO SHE'S HAVING A, A RESURGENCE IN 2024.
THANK YOU, MR. COMMISSIONER ALLEN? YES.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE SAME THING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING.
IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S, IT'S NOT A FUN THING TO TALK ABOUT AS WELL.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, AND MAYBE IT'S ALSO RHETORICAL AND WE CAN ANSWER THIS AT ANOTHER MEETING, BUT I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF, OF WHAT I ASSUME IS THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM THAT WE HAVE NOW OF KIND OF CLEARING SOME OF THE PARK SPACES.
BUT I, I GUESS SOME OF THE LANGUAGE I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THEM MOVING ON.
AND SO I'M, I'M A LITTLE, I WANT, I GUESS I WOULD WANT TO KNOW MORE INFORMATION ON HOW PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY ACCEPTING SERVICES VERSUS JUST LEAVING OUR PARK SPACES.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THEM NOW NOT BEING IN OUR PARK SPACE AND MAYBE IMPACTING OTHER, OTHER SPACES AS WELL.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE THAT CAN BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION FOR US AS A COMMISSION ABOUT HOW IN THAT LARGER SCHEME OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT, WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
BUT WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IN THIS EFFORT, HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY ACCEPTING SERVICES? ARE WE SEEING NEW FOLKS BEING IMPACTED IN OTHER PLACES? UM, AND IS IT IMPACTING OTHER PARKS OR OTHER SPACES BECAUSE WE'VE NOW, YOU KNOW, CLOSED DOWN DIFFERENT SPACES OR WE'RE KIND OF REHASHING, UH, SOME OF THAT.
UM, SO AGAIN, IF THAT CAN BE PART OF A LARGER CONVERSATION OR AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, ON THE PUMP TRACK, I'M ALSO SUPER EXCITED.
UM, I WANTED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT ANGLE AND I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE SOMETHING FROM AN ACCESSIBILITY PERSPECTIVE, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR FOLKS IN WHEELCHAIRS OR LIMITED MOBILITY.
AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN ALSO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN THAT EQUITY LENS, UM, ABOUT HOW WE BRING SOMETHING THAT'S A LOT MORE EQUITABLE IN TERMS OF IT'S VERSATILITY FOR RECREATION USE, I WOULD LOVE TO NOT ONLY KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING, BUT REALLY, UH, LIKE LIFT UP THAT PIECE OF IT.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
'CAUSE I SAW REPAIRS HAPPENING AT HARVEY MILK PARK THE OTHER DAY, UM, TO THE POINT WHERE SOMEBODY WAS LITERALLY SITTING ON THE GROUND REPLACING TILES.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS AWESOME, THAT A PERSONAL PASSION OF MINE AT THAT PARK, AND I WAS EXCITED TO SEE FOLKS, UM, GIVING IT THE TLC THAT IT NEEDS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER AND COMMISSIONER CHAZ, I, I JUST HAVE TO SAY OF EVERYBODY HERE, I'M SURPRISED IT WAS BOB WHO GOT SOME TROUBLE WITH
I I WASN'T AT THE MEETING WHERE I HEARD WE GOT SCOLDED.
WE'RE ALWAYS GETTING SCOLDED IN ANY CASE.
UH, DO WANT TO THANK THE, UH, YOU KNOW, BRENT FOR COMING OUT TO THE, UH, FRENCH WILL SPRINGS PARK GROUP, UH, MEETING.
I KNOW THEY APPRECIATED, APPRECIATED THE UPDATES AND THERE'S, I THINK A VERY PALATABLE SENSE OF GOODWILL AROUND, UH, WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, UH, WHERE THERE, IT HAS LARGELY BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THAT.
UH, ALSO, AGAIN, VERY INTERESTED IN THE PUMP TRACK ISSUE.
I, I'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK PROBABLY THE LAST HOURS MORE I'VE HEARD ABOUT PUMP TRACKS THAN I HAVE HEARD, YOU KNOW, EVER, UH, BUT DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN IT.
AND I ACTUALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMENTS ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY ACCESS AS WELL.
I KNOW WHEN I WAS TAKING, UH, THIS POSITION AS COMMISSIONER, ONE OF THE FIRST COMMENTS I GOT IS THAT WE NEED MORE
[01:05:01]
DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE PROGRAMMING AT OUR PARK FOR DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE.UH, AND, AND THIS CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE POTENTIALLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MAY MAY VENTURE OUT TO INGLEWOOD TO, TO CHECK OUT THE, THAT ONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL GO OUT TO IRVINE, BUT DEFINITELY
UH, ALSO, AGAIN, I ALSO WANNA ECHO APPRECIATE, UH, THE YOUTH COMING HERE AND SPEAKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES HERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I I I DO APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THE CITY IS TARGETING IT, YOU KNOW, DO TARGETED OUTREACH.
UH, I, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES TAKE THE BLUE LINE AND NOTICE AS I WAS PASSING BY VETERANS PARK, IT CERTAINLY LOOKS BETTER, UH, THAN HOW IT DID EVEN LIKE TWO MONTHS AGO.
UH, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, TODAY'S DISCUSSION SHOWS THERE IS MORE THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
UH, AND, UH, BUT AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S ALSO VERY DIFFICULT WORK TOO.
AND A LOT OF, UH, REPEATED CONTACT, A LOT OF, LIKE YOU SAID, EMPATHY WHEN REACHING OUT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, SET THAT LINE BEING EMPATHETIC BUT ALSO EFFECTIVE AND ACTUALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE LIVING IN A PARK IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION EITHER.
UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT STAYS IN A VERY TOUGH SPACE ON THAT.
BUT, UH, OTHERWISE, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, VERY HAPPY TO, TO SEE OUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AT OUR PARKS AND, UH, GOT TO, UH, VISIT A COUPLE PARKS, UH, RECENTLY, UH, UH, MARINE STADIUM WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, GETTING A WALK AROUND THAT KNOWING THAT THE OLYMPICS ARE GOING TO BE THERE IN A FEW YEARS, HAD TO TRY TO IMAGINE AND ENVISION IT.
SO CERTAINLY A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
SO IF I MAY, JUST A COUPLE FOLLOW UP POINTS.
SO, UH, WHEN COMMISSIONER ALLEN MENTIONED HARVEY MILL PARK, I KNOW I SAID THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY LOCATING A, A THRONE.
SO PUBLIC WORKS DOES HAVE THE SMALL PARK FENCED OFF.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE RESTORED FINISHING SOME OF THE RESTORATION WORK OF THE MPA, UM, MOSAIC, UH, ON THE PARKING STRUCTURE WALL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE, THE SMALL, UM, VERY SMALL TILE THAT WHERE I HEARD HURLY INSTALLED TO RUSH TOWARDS THE GRAND OPENING.
UH, PROBABLY NOT WITH THE BEST OF CRAFTSMANSHIP, BUT THOSE WERE FAILING AND POPPING OUT, SO THEY WERE REDOING, THOSE ARE LIKE THE RAINBOW STRIPES AND THE HARDSCAPE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT THEY HAVE THE PART, UM, CLOSED OFF AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO THE OTHER THING I COULD SUGGEST AS A FOLLOW-UP IS PAUL DUNCAN WITH, UH, HOMELESS SERVICES.
HE PROVIDES REALLY EXCELLENT OVERVIEWS OF THE PROGRESS, KIND OF ALL THE DATA DRIVEN NUMBERS ABOUT SUCCESSFUL, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTING SERVICES.
SO THAT COULD BE A SUGGESTION IF HE'S AVAILABLE.
WE COULD SEE IF HE WOULD, UM, DO A PRESENTATION AND, AND FIELD QUESTIONS.
UM, HE WAS AT THE SHEAR PARK COMMUNITY CENTER IN CD EIGHT LAST WEEK WITH A SIMILAR PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE AND ENCOURAGING, UM, BUT IT DOES REFLECT THE EMPATHY THAT CONTINUES ON WITH SERVICE FIRST APPROACH FOR INTERACTING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS.
AND LET ME JUST SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS.
UM, I TOO WANNA THANK LINDSAY AND YOUR TEAM, YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT IS CHALLENGING TO DO THAT AS A YOUNG PERSON IN FRONT OF RU.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT OUR CITY IS MADE UP OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE AND WE MANAGE THE CITY, IT'S OUR CITY, AND YOU WILL SOMEDAY BE SITTING UP HERE OR SOMEPLACE LIKE THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND LEARNING HOW, HOW IT WORKS.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE THE MEETING AT 10 11.