July 24, 2009

Atwater Village's Haircut: Labonge Calls It River Glen


View River Glen or North Atwater Village? in a larger map

THE NORTHERN TIP of Atwater Village has the neighborhood's last remaining strip club, and now the whole area might be stripped from the neighborhood.

Not that anyone really lives in this concrete industrial stem at the top of Atwater Village's banana, but Los Angeles City Councilman Tom Labonge has taken to renaming it River Glen.

The new moniker appears on the LA River Revitalization Plan and other City documents, according to the Friends of Atwater Village blog. Labonge has also been using it in emails to describe development initiatives in the area.

Never mind the name. (Not much Glen-like about it.) But splitting it from residential areas of Atwater Village seems rather arbitrary.

Exchange and CutterAre we saying industrial and residential don't mix? Or could this be a clever ploy by Labonge's office to locate a waste treatment facility in North Atwater Village without approval from our usual stakeholders, like neighborhood council?

The "River Glen" area is also adjacent to the Chevy Chase Park area, where LAPD recently raided Toonerville gang compounds and promises continued cleanup of the area. I suppose neighborhood stakeholders could want continued say in how both areas are governed.

I only spent time in "River Glen" once, at a furniture sale. (Didn't buy anything.) But I wouldn't be surprised if people through it was part of the City of Glendale anyway.

4 comments:

katiesmurphy said...

This is officially Atwater, per the AVNC bylaws and formation plans approved by the City. Somebody should refer LaBonge to that. Seems like an issue AVNC should get involved in and fast to make sure Atwater doesn't lose part of itself.

Miles said...

I always thought it was Glendale. Let is pass.

woodstockinla said...

I'm with you Miles butI dont think they will let it pass. I think that AVNC would probably get less funding if there was less Atwater Village.

Leonora Gershman said...

All neighborhood councils get the same funding, no matter their population. Each NC in the City of LA gets $45,000 per year, per the city charter.

That said, we will be discussing this issue at our next board of governors meeting on Aug. 13th, 7 PM, at Christ's Church on Edenhurst.

Your friendly neighborhood neighborhood council co-chair, Leonora