DIVING INTO THE L.A. RIVER An overview of the issues and culture surrounding the Los Angeles river.
CONCRETE: ITS USES & ITS CONSEQUENCES
THE RIVER WAS INCASED IN CONCRETE WAS FOR FLOOD CONTROL. The river banks are very high and sloped concrete covered surfaces. Now when the river floods it’s nearly impossible for the river to overflow these artificially high concrete banks. This prevents flood damage to what is now billions and billions of dollars of real estate surrounding the area. Los Angeles and Orange County have vast networks of flood control channels and the natural rivers have been incorporated into this system. For example both the San Gabriel River and the Santa Ana River are also highly controlled and in some places purely concrete channels.
CONCRETE: ITS USES & ITS CONSEQUENCES
HOWEVER, THE CONCRETE BECAOME A PRIME PLACE FOR TAGGING.
L.A. RIVER GRAFFITI COULD BE SEEN FROM SATELLITES IN SPACE.
The concrete channels helped stop the flooding, but it unintentionally attract-
The size of the massive graffiti piece was 55ft tall and 250 ft across. It took
ed a whole new demographic for the city of LA. Graffiti artists started to con-
126 gallons of rolling paint and 35 nights to complete. He actually suffered an
gregate to the area, and the channel became a means for the largest detailed
injury completeing the piece, blowing out his knee from standing on the slant
piece that has been done in the L.A. area. For example, SABER is an LA graffiti
of the river and had to undergo surgery after he finished. The piece stayed on
artist best known for his massive piece done on the LA river in 1997. He held
the river for 12 years before being covered up on September 1, 2009. A google
the title for the largest detailed piece on the LA river.
satellite map still shows the tag in its glory and can be found online.
CONCRETE: ITS USES & ITS CONSEQUENCES
“...the city spends over $10 million/ year to cover up the river graffiti.” - Jose Jose Huizar (Councilman District 14
IT COSTS WAY TOO MUCH TO COVER UP THE TAGS. This particular graffiti shown here was done by a tagging crew called MTA, and stretched across a half a mile. It took the city 3.5 million to clean this up, and the taggers who were caught were not subjected to pay.
POPULARITY: WHO KNOWS ABOUT IT?
“The people of Los Angeles are not connected to the river anymore. They don’t know that there’s a river anymore.”
AND YET THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT THE RIVER AND LOVE IT. The people who use the river and embrace is are usually ones who are involved in the recreational, outdoors type activities. Sports such as biking and kyaking have clubs where members embrace and try to heighten the importance of the river.
POPULARITY: WHO KNOWS ABOUT IT?
#lariver A search on the social media called Instagram reveals that there are many individuals who love and are proud of what the river has to offer.
RECREATION: KAYAKING
“It’s been since the 30’s when someone could come & legally recreate the river, which is pretty mindblowing”.
Jul 21 2012 was the 1st day of the 2012 season that allowed a total of 2k participants to legally kayak on the river.
Unfortunately the 2013 season faced an unexpected delay in obtaining the permit & has a forced cancellation.
Kayaking on the LA river started as a pilot program in
Kayaking became a popular way for locals to get
The program is restricted to summer months as a
2011. Public Interest was insatiable: the Paddle the
together and enjoy the summer months. It brought a
safety precaution. That is because the river recedes
L.A. River program sold out its maiden season of 290
sense of community and the L.A. naitives were eager
in the summer but explodes into dangerous torrents
seats in 10 minutes. The seats costs $50 each, and
to participate and grow.
with the first rains of winter.
the money is used to offset equipment costs and insurance.
RECREATION: LA BIKING
“I love the sound of the rubber on the asphalt. I love the back roads. I love my commute.”
LABC HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY INVOLVED WITH THE RIVER SINCE 1999. The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s number one goal in the city of LA is to create a Citywide Bike Network that will link the city with bike lanes, seperated bike paths and calm streets where everyone from an 8 yr old to an 80 yr old grandmother would feel safe and confident bicyling. Implementing the City of Los Angeles Bike Plan is an essential component for creating a seamless regional bicycle network throughout Los Angeles County.
THE HOMELESS OF THE RIVER
“ “ “
I watched a hobo taking a dump and another shooting up at some points along the river today, so I’ve got no love lost for squalid urban camping...but that made me think about how lost some of the homeless truly are.
I was riding the river trail yesterday and still saw a lot of homeless/camps. The other rivers aren’t any better either. All the homeless and their camps detract from the area, but where else do they have to go?
They are just deserving of a place to live and exist as anyone...Everything LA seems to do right just makes us even more of a homeless destination., what percent of the homeless in the US live here?
” ” ”
THE HOMELESS OF THE RIVER
What if they installed solar panels in the river? Can it be a nice power source for the homeless to become civilized? A place for them to live & eventually be back in normal society? Kind of like a “Second Chance Program�?
PORTABLE EXHIBIT IDEAS