Before my addition to your comment, I would like to say that I was born and raised in LA and love the city despite the abundance of indifference and/or hate for it. I too, see a need to add more green public spaces throughout the city. However, I question the feasibility of Mayor Viaraigosa’s “Million Tree” plan as well as the pushing of “green spaces” that usually equate mega-lawns, water features, big evergreen trees,etc.

I question the viability of these good intentions because no one seems to acknowledge the fact that Southern California – specifically L.A. on southward – was (is) a desert and evergreen plants such as the grasses & trees typically used for parks and lawns are not indigenous to this area. Trees such as Ficus’ and grasses such Bermuda, Carpet or St. Augustine require a lot of precious water that we are in dire shortage of. It is unfortunate that our politicians and worse, our professionals, are ignorant of this fact.

Let’s see input from:
- cultural groups (exhibits, vendors booths for economic benefit, a pavilion for community activities, etc.)
- the parks commission (multi-faceted forms for green space rather than endless lawn, public safety considerations, accessibility for all, shade!)
- the water people (connection to the natural stream and river system, plant-based filtering/groundwater systems)
- the tree people (for varieties that provide interest, shade, drought resistance, etc)
- xeriscapers (low water use, indigenous, low-maintenance, hardy varieties rather than the “plants from around the world” as mentioned, green roofs on the proposed new buildings could elevate park space and extend much-needed greenery beyond the Park 101 borders and into the city)
- transportation people (for mixed levels of transport through and across the greenspace–a trolley, a shady paved arbor, a bus lane on the edge, etc.)
- air quality people (to handle the fumes from a busy covered freeway)
- lighting people (to uphold dark sky initiatives while preserving public safety, to light the cavern below)
- energy people (the tall towers are to power the park but what about the park powering the rest of the city? Solar installations along the way and on the new buildings would feed the grid.)
- arts people (to add flavor of LA’s strong art community)

And one personal wish: well-designed public restrooms that discourage loitering and vandalism.

Yes, cities get mired in endless planning never to realize the results but the answer is not to slap something together in a few days and pass it through. A broad, inclusive approach would foster the “Wow-factor” the students desire and ensure the 100-yr longevity of which they spoke. Insular groups love to pat each other on the back and this is an effort well worth the praise. Now, the bigger, more worthwhile effort, would be to invite in the community and broaden the proposal’s horizons.

Contact me for connections to some of the leading visionaries in some of these groups.
/dianejwright