Silver Lake & Ivanhoe Reservoir Master Plan
Workshop #1 - Saturday, March 27, 1999

Workshop Comments

Most important issues

• Phasing of improvements is needed
• Make reservoir land all around open and usable to walkers
• Safety and Beauty – it would be an advantage to remove the fence and improve the perimeter
• Safety of joggers and walkers most important
• Move fence to make more public area available
• Walk by the lake instead of traffic wherever possible
• Make areas more naturalistic – less concrete
• Do not want meadow to be a public park (completely open)
• Change fence design – no barb-wire, low stone wall, pilasters with fencing between or wrought iron
  

Open Park Space

• Open grassy area for park/picnic is desired
• Increased access to usable areas inside the fence
• Dogs should be allowed on leash in the new areas or paths
• Reservoir should not look like a city park & keep natural looking
• Develop green belt surrounding lake and integrate fence into it
• Maintain open meadow serene feeling
• Coordinate West Silver Lake Drive narrowing width adding more space for recreation, more and safer uses of additional open space
• Add pond for access to water outside the reservoir
• Meadow – add paths but no drastic change to character

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Fencing

• Perimeter needs a more attractive fence to improve
• Two fences are OK but not with the barbed wire
• Fence should be transparent
• Move fence inward to edge of water to allow pedestrian access and remove some of the concrete wall
• Walking between fences seems undesirable
• Enclose jogging & walking paths with posts joined with heavy chain
• New fence, who pays for? Who maintains?
• Chainlink is too industrial looking but does give more open views
• New fence at rec center is too dense
• Move DWP fence to edge of reservoir
• Wrought iron – community fence for control access to park space
  

Access

• More entry points needed
• Do not open 24 hours and have controlled access for safety
• Prefer restricted access at night by turning off the lights, etc.
• Make as accessible as much as possible, breaking up uses
• Keep 100% access to park with 24 hour access around the lake
• Possible park hours: 6am – 8pm or 9pm or same access as dog park until 10pm
• Allow use during non-working hours
• Restricted access to meadow important.
• Open space on West Silverlake blvd. can be accessible all the time
  

Lighting

• Armstrong St. lacks sufficient pedestrian lighting
• Lighting needed on residential side
• Lighting – old fashioned style fixtures
• Park open after dark would require lighting for safety
• Lighting in meadow is a problem for some residents. They do not want area around reservoir to be too bright, like the natural feel
• Create aesthetic design for street lighting on Silver Lake Blvd. Combine taller street lights with pedestrian scale lighting @ paths

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Landscape

• Trees
• Select tree species that are colorful to look down on, i.e., Jacaranda and still open @ ground level.
• Community identity: Jacaranda trees look good but are messy
• Tree line both streets on both sides & in surrounding area
• Restore the unique trees that are dying out on the west side of West Silver Lake Blvd. along sidewalk
• Do not have a consistent tree for entire perimeter
• Like the diversity of landscape/trees in Silver Lake
• Street trees need an overall design program – especially along W. Silver Lake Blvd.
• Keep pine trees on Silver Lake Blvd and continue pine trees on east side of reservoir
• Knobby trees along west Silver Lake Blvd. are right scale but are near the end of their life cycle; Need to be replaced
• Who will maintain trees?
• Like the Eucalyptus trees in lake area
• Trees selected by use. (i.e., joggers, shade, views, etc.)
  

Planting

• New landscaping around nature trail – no flowers or other high maintenance planting – maybe California natives only
• Add more planting on both sides at edge to obscure fence
• Add vines or ground cover to cover some of the concrete
• Add vines to fence – also reduces views How to balance?
• Different planting for different areas – create zones
• Add flower beds, to non active recreation areas
  

Meadow

• Could Dept of Rec/Parks maintain meadow area?
• Like natural growth existing around lake @ meadow

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Landscape

• Keep the grounds pretty much the same; wild, treed, open or only landscape where buildings or structures are unattractive or need barriers
• Master Plan element that coordinates existing and new landscape materials
• Make landscape a visually pleasing experience for walkers
  

Wildlife

• Blue Herons nest in Eucalyptus trees
  

Views

• Cannot see the water in lake on west side due to the trees
• Do not sacrifice views for pedestrians
• Maintain open views of the lake – avoid eucalyptus
• Want to see lake and meadow even as pedestrians
• Trees are too dense in some areas that block views
• Density of trees OK. But trees need to be maintained better

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Safety

• Provide safety patrols
• Signage at strategic places ie. over trail to alert drivers of jogger / walkers
• Safety issues - street sweeping, etc.
• Pedestrian crossings
• Armstrong Ave. is impassable toward Silver Lake Blvd.
• Ask police about safety issues for joggers. Views into park area. How do you patrol this type of use away from the street?
• Reduce safety hazard for joggers by moving fence back
• If use of park space is possible, more crosswalks are definitely necessary
• Crossing street is hazardous especially on east side
• Sidewalk impassable on Silver Lake Blvd. north of dog park (perimeter
  sidewalk)
• Crossing at Armstrong and at Van Pelt needs better signage
• Views of path important to safety – no secluded areas
  

Maintenance

• City pruning program is not done well - need knowledgeable person to prune and protect trees. Trees trimmed 8 year cycle by city
• Need coordinated maintenance program - schedule cleaning after storms
• Maintenance of Silverlake Blvd. Parkway is by community groups, who should be maintaining it?

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