Native Americans to Monitor Cathedral Site

Bowing to the concerns of some Native Americans who believe a proposed new downtown cathedral would be located on an ancient burial ground, the City Council on Wednesday agreed to add representatives from the Shoshone-Gabrieleno Nation to monitor construction work.

On a 13-1 vote, with Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg dissenting, the council approved the environmental reports and cleared the way for construction to begin for the new $50-million cathedral. Archbishop Roger M. Mahony had urged a quick approval process so that construction could begin and Our Lady of the Angels cathedral could open in 2000.

The council decided to allow the Shoshone-Gabrieleno Nation representatives to monitor the excavation and archeological work even after being told by city officials that there is no proof that the land, located near Temple and Grand streets, was ever a burial site. Under agreements already approved by the Community Redevelopment Agency, the city had decided to allow a Native American representative to monitor the construction work. But that agreement did not specify a particular representative.

John Molloy, the director of the Community Redevelopment Agency, told the council he has “no empirical evidence that suggests this was a burial ground.” But Goldberg said: “My real concern is: What if you are wrong.”