Workshops to Focus on Future of River

The future of the Los Angeles River as a recreational and environmental resource will be the subject of six public workshops, including upcoming sessions in Lake View Terrace, Van Nuys and Glendale.

The workshops will update the progress of a river master plan being developed by Los Angeles County’s public works, parks and recreation and regional planning departments, and the National Park Service’s rivers, trails and conservation assistance program.

One workshop will be held Monday at the Lake View Terrace Recreation Center, 11075 Foothill Blvd. Other sessions are set for Nov. 17 at the Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Senior Citizens’ Center, 5056 Van Nuys Blvd., and Nov. 18 at Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Road.

All three meetings are scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m.

Beginning in the 1930s, flood-control projects transformed most of the river to a concrete tube.

However, pockets of habitat remain in a few soft bottom areas. River activists hope to restore other areas of the river to a more natural state and to make the river an economic asset for adjacent communities.

Members of the planning team will discuss a variety of proposals for increasing public use and improving the river’s appearance, along with possible sources of funding.