West Hollywood has been forever tinkering with their central park, but they're getting close to a final design (which they'll probably tear up in 15 years). This week the city council agreed to throw an additional $5.8 million into the $80-million update to West Hollywood Park (this is the second phase of a major overhaul), WeHoville reports. By burying the buildings and parking underground, architects LPA Inc. and Rios Clementi Hale can add more open space, with the park totaling five acres when all is said and done. City officials are squabbling a bit about what to do with the extra space: Mayor John D'Amico is pushing for off-leash dog space, perhaps to replace any one of the three playgrounds for children.
The mayor noted the city has an "institutional fetishization of kids" and added, "We have 400 kids who live in this city, and we have 30,400 adults who have dogs." LPA and RCH were asked to come back with some ideas for a dog area.
The council also hopes space can be found for soccer or other sports games, though did not go so far as to request a formal soccer or softball field. And they requested more parking, but they want it underground or at least to have stacked spaces.
The requested $5.8 million would pay for a $3-million grand staircase—similar to the one below the library—leading up from the park grounds to the entrance of a to-be-built indoor sports/recreation center that would feature pools on the roof.
The extra money would also cover new park entrances from El Tovar Place and San Vicente Boulevard, as well as outdoor exercise equipment and a new bathroom. The city hopes to start construction in less than a year and wrap in 2018.
· WeHo Council Approves Park Plan After Mayor Barks for More Room for Dogs [WeHoville]
· West Hollywood Park Archives [Curbed LA]
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