By Brandon HENSLEY

Representatives from The LA River Watershed Project spoke to the Crescenta Valley Town Council on June 20 for feedback on safety and accessibility, among other topics, regarding the LA River and its future.

Ivan Ochoa and two co-workers asked questions to council and audience members on how they view the river, which flows 51 miles from its headwaters in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains to Long Beach and is aided by several tributaries on its way to the Pacific Ocean.

Most audience members who raised their hands said they either didn’t know how to access the river or they were worried about health issues regarding the water or its surrounding areas.

Ochoa mainly collected opinions from the audience and council and informed residents that there will be two workshops to learn more about the LA River planning project, which is part of an ongoing update of the 1996 LA River Master Plan from LA County. The project seeks to improve quality of life at the river and in nearby areas or communities, including biking/walking paths and housing.

According to the county public works website, the mission of the Los Angeles River Master Plan is to “create a balance between urban and natural resources within the Los Angeles River Watershed. That includes better water quality, increased flood protection, and creation of open space.”

Members are working in conjunction with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and several other non-profits. The group also has funding for developing a plan for the Tujunga Watershed, a subwatershed of the LA River.

The workshop dates will be Tuesday, July 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Discovery Cube, 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar, and Thursday, July 11 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at DreamWorks Animation, 1000 Flower St., Glendale. For the July 11 workshop, RSVP is needed for campus entry. The workshops will be family-friendly and snacks and refreshments will be provided. For more information, email river@smmc.ca.gov, or call (323) 221-8900 ex 109. Visit www.theriverproject.org for more information.

The biggest presentation of the night was by Robert Calix of LA Metro, who gave a slideshow on the NextGen Bus Study that is currently taking place. The study aims to bring the current bus system into a new era that is “more relevant, reflective of, and attractive to the residents of LA County,” according to the Metro website.

The study began in spring of 2018 and details could be disclosed by the end of the year. The plan is focusing on a 10-year horizon, and all projects currently under construction are considered part of the plan.

Calix said Metro has 150 bus routes, which at times over the decades have been modified. But, he said, “We haven’t looked at the systems all at once, holistically … what we’ve found is a lot of things are challenging us as an agency; challenging our board, but also challenging folks in the community because we’ve changed our travel patterns.”

Calix noted how people are quick to use Uber or Lyft, and how many have different work habits (i.e. people commuting to work at night or on the weekends).

Calix said community input is necessary and, during the July 18 presentation to the operations committee and the July 25 presentation to the board of directors, those opinions can be considered.

The plan also aims to address an equity platform that “gives us a mechanism by which we can be more inclusive for others who haven’t felt included in our process,” Calix said.

Audience member Sue Kilpatrick, who is in a wheelchair, works at the Autry Museum of the American West. She usually drives to work but decided to take the bus to work one day when her transportation was being repaired. The results weren’t optimal.

“It is impossible. If you are in a wheelchair or have another disability you can’t get from here to the Autry Museum. There is no way,” she said.

Calix was glad to hear from Kilpatrick, and said that was the kind of thing Metro needs to hear.

For more information, visit metro.net/projects/nextgen.

The American Legion Post 288 and VFW Post 1614 are hosting the 8th Annual Community Bingo Night on Friday, Aug. 16. Food and check-in is at 5:30 p.m., and the first game is at 7 p.m. The event will be held at Healy Hall at Holy Redeemer Church, 2361 Del Mar Road, Montrose. Proceeds benefit veterans in the community. All bingo games pay $100 or more.

The next CVTC meeting is scheduled for July 18 at 7 p.m. at the La Crescenta Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd.

  Brandon Hensley