Toluca Lake Village Holiday Open House

Councilman LaBonge and his office helped organize this year's Toluca Lake Village Holiday Open House on Riverside Drive. This annual event is a great chance for neighbors to gather in the village and enjoy the tree-lighting ceremony. shop-owners opened their doors and offered special deals. Pink's Hot Dogs were there to offer free hot dogs at the Councilman's Field Office, which was open and decorated for visitors to come and enjoy this festive night. Special thanks to the Toluca Lake Homeowners Association for making it all work. Happy Holidays!

Breaking ground on new Park facilities in North Hollywood

Councilman LaBonge, Recreation and Parks Board President Barry Sanders and Rec and Park Dept. General Manager Jon Kirk Mukri turn the ceremonial shovel.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge joined members of the NoHo community and officials from the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering to break ground on a new multi-purpose center in North Hollywood. The project scope consists of construction of a new, ADA accessible 2,200 square foot, one-story wood framed building with a multi-purpose room, lobby area, storage and equipment rooms, restrooms, and staff office and break room. Landscaping and outdoor amenities include a children’s play area with rubberized surfacing, decomposed granite walking paths, new turf areas, a trellis, gaming tables, concrete benches, solar powered lighting, outdoor fitness exercise equipment stations, picnic tables, landscaping, irrigation, perimeter fencing, and a new parking lot. Construction begins now and the project should be ready to open by next fall. click here to see more photos

Breaking ground on the Whitnall Gardens in North Hollywood

(March 3rd, 2011; Los Angeles) – These days, it’s not enough to create a new greenspace in the City of Los Angeles. Like the rest of us, it has to multi-task. And, that’s exactly what the Whitnall Gardens Demonstration Project will do. Planned for a DWP right-of-way on Whitnall Highway, between Cahuenga Boulevard and Clybourn Avenue that is – let’s be honest – downright ugly, the Whitnall Gardens project will certainly spruce-up the area, with drought-tolerant landscaping to replace the bare-dirt that turns into a quagmire with each heavy rain there. It will include a walking-path that provides area residents a place to get out and exercise or just stroll; and drinking fountains along the way. But this project goes deeper – literally. There will be a storm-water catch-basin and permeable pavers that will reduce urban flooding in the area, using a series of gutters to direct runoff into the catch-basin and any overflow into nearby storm-drains. The captured storm-water will be allowed to percolate naturally into the San Fernando Valley Groundwater basin, much as nature intended – with a little help from our engineers and the excellent soil in the area, which allows for sponge-like infiltration at a rate of 8.2 feet per day.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge welcomed community members and city officials to the ground-breaking event for this multi-benefit project, which will cost around a million-dollars to complete. “This is a great collaboration among my Council office, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Bureau of Sanitation, the MidTown North Hollywood Neighborhood Council and the community.” The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Water-Systems is kicking-in $200,000.00 for the project, as well as lifting restriction on use of the easement itself. Councilmember LaBonge says, “It’s something we’ve been working on for a long time, and I’m so pleased that we’re now able to break ground on this important recreation and beautification effort here in North Hollywood.” Construction is slated to begin at the site in the summer of 2011.. Michael A. Coia, Assistant General Manager of the LADWP Power System said, “In addition to beautifying the community by the addition of a drought-tolerant garden, we are creating an open interactive space and a stormwater capture site all in one.”

Breaking ground on the Whitnall Gardens in North Hollywood

(March 3rd, 2011; Los Angeles) – These days, it’s not enough to create a new greenspace in the City of Los Angeles. Like the rest of us, it has to multi-task. And, that’s exactly what the Whitnall Gardens Demonstration Project will do. Planned for a DWP right-of-way on Whitnall Highway, between Cahuenga Boulevard and Clybourn Avenue that is – let’s be honest – downright ugly, the Whitnall Gardens project will certainly spruce-up the area, with drought-tolerant landscaping to replace the bare-dirt that turns into a quagmire with each heavy rain there. It will include a walking-path that provides area residents a place to get out and exercise or just stroll; and drinking fountains along the way.

But this project goes deeper – literally. There will be a storm-water catch-basin and permeable pavers that will reduce urban flooding in the area, using a series of gutters to direct runoff into the catch-basin and any overflow into nearby storm-drains. The captured storm-water will be allowed to percolate naturally into the San Fernando Valley Groundwater basin, much as nature intended – with a little help from our engineers and the excellent soil in the area, which allows for sponge-like infiltration at a rate of 8.2 feet per day.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge welcomed community members and city officials to the ground-breaking event for this multi-benefit project, which will cost around a million-dollars to complete. “This is a great collaboration among my Council office, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Bureau of Sanitation, the MidTown North Hollywood Neighborhood Council and the community.” The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Water-Systems is kicking-in $200,000.00 for the project, as well as lifting restriction on use of the easement itself. Councilmember LaBonge says, “It’s something we’ve been working on for a long time, and I’m so pleased that we’re now able to break ground on this important recreation and beautification effort here in North Hollywood.” Construction is slated to begin at the site in the summer of 2011.. Michael A. Coia, Assistant General Manager of the LADWP Power System said, “In addition to beautifying the community by the addition of a drought-tolerant garden, we are creating an open interactive space and a stormwater capture site all in one.”

Operation Clean Sweep scours Council District 4

My staff and I fanned out on Friday and Saturday January 7th and 8th to clean-up neighborhoods in Council District 4. From North Hollywood to Koreatown ... mid-Wilshire to Hollywood ... Los Feliz to Silver Lake, we really cleaned-up. Many thanks to the Bureau of Sanitation, which provided several trucks and drivers to help us pick-up bulky items, such as old couches, mattresses, assorted furniture and rugs, old toys and construction waste left on the streets and sidewalks. We also removed discarded Christmas Trees, palm-fronds and other yard-waste. We cleaned-up several tons of debris from the streets and sidewalks of Los Angeles. It's amazing what you can do with a little cooperation and a lot of heavy-lifting.

Public Comment continues for the NBC Universal Evolution Plan

The time is NOW to be heard on the proposed expansion of Universal Studios. The Public Comment Period ends on February 4th. Take your opportunity to comment on the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Everybody deserves an opportunity to be heard on this massive project, with more than two-million square feet of new development. All comments that are received before February 4th -- written or verbal -- must be responded to in the Final EIR. For many of us, the main issue is TRAFFIC. I certainly have concerns about the plan's impact on traffic in the area. I believe good development can occur and I would support NBC Universal's project, IF and only IF, the project mitigates traffic. There are opportunities to get a bikeway along the Los Angeles River. Pinch-points in the Cahuenga Pass must be resolved, and it's extremely important to get a Hollywood Freeway southbound on-ramp at Universal Studios Boulevard. And certainly, improvements to the Hollywood Freeway interchange should occur sooner rather than later. If you have any questions about how to submit your comment before February 4th, please contact our office at 213-485-3337.

November 27: Cinderella to Benefit LA's Youth

Cast members from Cinderella: A Traditional London Panto and Councilmember Labonge performed on stage with children from the Lankershim Elementary School to promote a very special opening night with proceeds benefiting the City's after school enrichment program. Opening night for the world-renowned version of the classic children's play is November 27th.
"I've never seen a group of more spirited performers," Councilmember LaBonge said of the pint-sized troupe from the local school. "The Historic El Portal Theatre decided to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from opening night so these kids and kids across Los Angeles can continue to be safe, learn and grow after school."
The theatre is located in the heart of the flourishing NoHo Arts District on Lankershim Boulevard. Proceeds from the star-studded, red-carpet opening night will benefit LA's BEST. The mission of LA's BEST is to provide a safe and supervised after school education, enrichment and recreation program for elementary school children ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
For more information, or to buy tickets, please visit LAsBEST.org or call the El Portal Theatre at 818-508-4200.

North Hollywood Economic Summit

Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Paul Krekorian joined representatives from other agencies at a discussion of the future of revitalization of North Hollywood.
"It's great that the Universal City/North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has created this forum to discuss the successes of the past, the celebrations of the present and the challenges of the future," Councilmember LaBonge said.
Panelists answered questions from the audience of community members and business owners. Gazala Pirzada from the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency spoke about the continuing focus of redevelopment in the area, calling the North Hollywood Commons project the "jewel in the crown" for the department. Kim Brown of the Community Development Department discussed Business Incentive Zones, providing business owners with tools like tax incentives and credits in designated areas that need it. Dr. William Roberts from the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center at CSUN and Warren Cooley from the Valley Economic Development Center in the San Fernando Valley were also on the panel.
Jerry Snyder, whose company J.H. Snyder Co. has been the key developer in North Hollywood, was honored for his commitment to the development of the area.