This Master Plan outlined the needs and
interests of both the Department of Water and Power (DWP) and the community. The head of the DWP at that time, S. David Freeman, agreed that
planning for the future would be a good idea. Community meetings explored various options and
came to a
consensus on how both the community and DWP would benefit.
- The first workshop was held on
March 27, 1999. The goal was to introduce the concept of a Master Plan and give the community
a chance to express their concerns and desires. Over 2000 invitations were sent out. The
mailing list was compile from neighborhood organizations and the results of a title search
for addresses near the reservoir. Also, flyers were posted in local businesses and banners
hung up on the reservoir fence and at Ivanhoe Elementary School. Approximately 150 people
attended the workshop.
- The second workshop was held on
May 20th. The goal was to present some ideas that came from the first workshop and get
more suggestions and ideas. In an effort reach as many people as possible, over 20,000
invitations were sent out. The address list was compiled from DWP billing records. As
before, flyers were also distributed and banners were hung up. Approximately 240 people
attended this workshop.
- A third workshop was held on July
24th. The goal was to clarify some of the findings in the first two workshops.
Over 150 people attended the third Silver Lake Master Plan workshop
at John Marshall High School on Saturday, July 24th. The Master Plan team setup large
display boards with photographs and drawings highlighting various ideas and proposals that
were developed from the first workshop and, based on input from the second workshop,
refined for presentation in the third workshop. Since many participants in the second
workshop said they did not have time to adequately review the proposals before the
presentation or were confused by some of the ideas and concepts being presented, the third
workshop was structured so that attendees would be able to view the proposals and concepts
between 8:30 and 10:30 AM before the formal presentation.
By the time Mia Lehrer and her team started the formal presentation at 10:30,
many of the participants had taken advantage of the opportunity to discuss the various
proposals and ideas with members of the Master Plan team, SLRA and CSSLR Board members,
and their neighbors. This was a great chance to have an in-depth discussion about the
Master Plan.
- A final meeting was originally planned for November, 1999,
where the Master Plan team was going to present the Master Plan the community the
community. That meeting was rescheduled to March, 2000 to give the project team more time to organize the community input,
consult with city officials and to insure that elected officials would be at the final
meeting. The LADWP Board of Commissioners approved the Master Plan in
December, 2000.
- After the final meeting, an effort to secure funding from the State of
California was initiated. In June, 2000, members of the community were asked to write
letters of support for this effort. Then Assemblyman Scott Wildman
started the effort, and it was picked up by newly elected Assemblyman Dario
Frommer. Through his efforts, along with the efforts of the
SLRA, CSSLR, the LADWP, Council Members Tom LaBonge and Eric
Garcetti, 2.3 million dollars was secured for
the project in December, 2001. (See
Press Release).
- Distribution of those funds were delayed due to budget constraints, but in
October, 2002, we were notified that the first portion of those funds are
available. Phase 1 is to create a meandering path through the
Eucalyptus Grove on the west side of the reservoir.
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