Epian Ways April-May 2011

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Echo Park Improvement Association NewsletterEPIAnways

April-May 2011

Volume 18 Issue 2

Echo Park Improvement Association meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Monthin Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park

by Susan Borden

Shes been described as the Croatian

woman with the Japanese name who

lives in Chinatown and works with

Latino youth. Even in multi-cultural

Echo Park, few people can claim such

an impressive catalog of diversity. When

you hear that shes also reached senior

citizen status, youll know that I can

only be referring to Maryanne Hayashi

of Central City Action Committee.

The well-respected great-

grandmother with the old-fashioned

rst name has been at the helm of the

non-prot Echo Park youth program for

the past thirty years.

Central City Action Committee had

its beginnings in the 1970s when there

was little recognition of Echo Parks

youth gang problems. Concerned

mothers incorporated the group under

the direction of Mrs. Adele Valle. Mrs.

Valles retirement prompted the arrival

of Maryanne on April 16, 1981 as

Central Citys new director. She has

been there ever since, guiding the

organization through ups and downs.

One of the downs occurred when an

Cntral City Action Committ:Ddicatd to th succss of hr kids

ECHO PARK IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

EPCAP new project coming soon

to Echo Park ......................PAge 2

Whats new in Echo Park ... PAge 3

Echo Park Animal Alliance

featured pet ....................... PAge 5

Echo Park Lake updates ... PAge 5

Echo Park Night at

Dodger Stadium

................PAge 11

The Friends of Elysian Heights, andthe Echo Park Improvement association

are throwing a big party - Eco Pak

Stoes ad Ecladas at Elysian

Heights Elementary Saturday, April 30

from 4:00 - 8:00 pm.

When it came to choosing

entertainment, Friends of ElysianHeights thought a wonderful way to

make the evening special and bring us

all together would be to have a program

where people stood up and shared

their personal stories about Echo Park.

Shar your echo Park storis

(Continued on page 11)


INSIDE


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April-May 2011 Volume 8 Issue 2

www.epia-echopark.org

P.O. Box 261021, Los Angeles, CA 90026 Message Phone 877-860-EPIA

EPIAnwaysPAGE 2

Upcomin: echo Park Community Arts ProjctThe EPIA is proud to be sponsors of the rst ever Echo

Park Community Arts Project (EPCAP) to take place in

May 2011.

Wat: Echo Park Community Arts Project

Wee: Sancho, 1549 Sunset Blvd.

Exbto us: May 9-15, 2011 from 12-7:00 pm

Opeg celebato: May 13, 2011 7-10:00 pm

Woksops: May 14 & 15 (details TBA)

At submsso deadle: April 18, 2011

EPCAP is curated by nonprot team the Negative Space

Curation, led by art-lovers Meredith Mere Rosenbluthand Angela Gonzalez Hall. Mere is a Los Angeles native

and is a curator, educator, writer, photographer and

printmaker. Angela is also a curator, educator, writer, and

gallery enthusiast, and shes in love with LACMA.

The event is a week-long exhibit lled with multiple

forms of art by Echo Park artists, local youth, and non-

professional community members. There will also be

free artwork for all ages at the location. All artwork will be

available for purchase, and 100% of the proceeds going

toward Art Survival Kits - hand printed tote bags lled

with art supplies and bi-lingual educational materials thatequip individuals with tools for making and exploring art.

The two curators told us about why they started

EPCAP:

The idea for this project came from a shared love of

art, a deep belief in the importance of art education, and

a frustration with some of the systems that the art world

is hinged uponnamely, that of commerce, of the gallery,

of an elite space that only few can truly access and that

reaches out to a very select public.

Why Echo Park?

It is one of the few places in Los Angeles that trulyfeels like a communitya place where people know

each other and are invested in what goes on in their

neighborhood....

The artistic hubs located in Echo Park are predominately

utilized by the same ethnic and socioeconomic

demographic typically associated with the ne arts. In

other words, our goal is to get the under-represented

minorities present in Echo Park to gain a trust of the arts.

By getting them involved, we hope that we can build a

long-lasting relationship between the diverse population

present in Echo Park and the artistic operations in the

area. EPCAP seeks to cultivate this by creating an artistic

and educational space where all Echo Park residents can

participate and benet equally.

Well see you there!


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EPIAnways PAGE 3

Anyone who has walked down Echo Park Avenue and

stopped to talk with a neighbor understands that there

is a wealth of interesting history to be tapped. There is

such a broad base of ages, ethnicities, and experiences

that make Echo Park the unique neighborhood that it is.

Weve seen a lot of change and seen a lot of things that

may never change, because that is just the way it is in

Echo Park.

If you are interested in sharing your story about

Echo Park, please contact Friends of Elysian Park at

[email protected] by April 8th. If you know someone

who has a great story, but no access to email, you can

have them call Angela Wood at 323-896-1252 and leave

a brief description of the person and their story.

They are looking for genuine experiences, not fairy

tales. Stories that might explain why you love to live here,

why its different that any other place you lived, what

is was like back in the day or maybe just something

funny that happened to you!

Lots of stuff going on in Echo Park, and we try to keep an

eye out on those new, moving or closing businesses, as

well as some new things going on.

The Save-A-Lot on Sunset Blvd. (in the same shopping

center as the Walgreens) suddenly closed down on

March 25, 2011 - leaving Echo Park residents debating

once again if they will put in a Trader Joes.

Sage Vega Ogac Bsto ad KdKeme opened up

in the old Mooi space at 1700 West Sunset Blvd. Serving

up vegan dishes and vegan ice creams and dessert, the

new shop will be open 11:00 am 10:00 pm weekdays

open until 11:00 pm on Fridays, and will be offering brunchon the weekends from 9:00 am until 10 or 11:00 pm.

Moawk Bed plans to open possibly by the end of Apri

at the old Ramona Theater on Sunset Blvd. The brewery

Around town: Whatsnw in echo Park

Cont.:Storis of echo Park


(Continued from page 1)


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EPIAnwaysPAGE 4

213-440-2140

Continued:Whats nw with echo Park businsss(Continued from page 3)

restaurant promises both vegan, vegetarian and meat dishes.

Fx Coffee up on Echo Park Avenue is looking to apply for a wine

and beer license.

The Eco Pak Fames Maket has recently started offering a

healthy baskets program. If you place your order by 12:00 noon

on Tuesdays, you can pick up your basket/bag of farmers market

fresh fruits and vegetables during the Friday market (from 3-7:00 pm

Fridays). Go to shop.farmernet.com to sign up.

A new season of the Los Ageles Dodges started up on March 31

in an opener against the San Francisco Giants. Go to www.dodgers.

com for schedules, and call the Neighborhood Focus Line at (323)

224-2636 with issues or questions.

Despite the Lake rehab to take place this summer, the 33d

Celebato of te Los Ageles Lotus Festval at Eco Pak

Lake will take place on Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, 2011.

Register to be part of the traditional Dragon Boat Races by Friday,

June 10, 2011 by visiting www.lotusfestival.org

213-440-2140


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EPIAnways PAGE 5

Honeybear is a 2 year old female brindle pit mix

needs a good loving home. She is spayed, vaccinated

and microchipped. Loves to play with other dogs

and people - so would do best in a household with

at least one other dog. She really loves to be with

other animalsGreat with other dogs and even cats. Whomever

decides to take this sweet Honeybear on is going to

have a friend for life!

If interested please email:

[email protected]

ePAA Pt Spotliht:Honybar

Newsletter Credits

eDITOR: Kelly Smith

ADVeRTISINg: Darren Hubert

PRINTINg: Davco

Copyright 2010 Echo Park

Improvement Association

ECHO PARK IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

We learned the infamous Maria the Goose that lived a

Echo Park Lake is actually a Mario - after being moved

to the LA Zoo, the goose was discovered to actually be agander. The gander became famous when a band called

OK GO lmed its music video at the lake with Maria in

most of the video, and when national news covered

Marias friendship with resident Dominic Ehrler.

The boat house will also undergo renovations during the

Lake constructions, including rehabilitating the rotunda at

the top of the building to its original, historic look. They

will also install new facilities to make the boathouse a

working concession stand, and will seek out vendors to

ll the space.

And good news for festival-lovers: The Echo Park

Lotus Festival will go on this year despite plans to star

Lake construction in April. Mitch OFarrell, an ofcial with

Councilman Eric Garcettis ofce, conrmed at a recen

EPIA town hall meeting that the start of the construction

Updates on the EchoPark Lake Rehab Project


Echo Park Now is a local source for news,music, history and events in Echo Park.

Email us your stories/ideas/tips: [email protected]

www.

echoparknow.com


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EPIAnwaysPAGE 6

Event Date Location Comments

EPIA Meetings

EPIA SteeringCommittee

EPIA NeighborhoodIssues Committee

Community SafetyMeeting (EPSA)

Citizens Committee to

Save Elysian ParkEcho Park Chamberof Commerce

Edendale LibraryFriends Society (ELFS)

EP Farmers Market

Edendale Book Club

Greater Echo ParkElysian NeighborhoodCouncil Meeting

Positive Energy Groupof Echo Park andSilver Lake Area

Every 1st Thursday7:00 pm

Every 2nd Monday7:15 pm

Every 3rd Wednesday7:00 pm

Every 3rd Wednesday2:00 pm

Every 1st Wednesday

7:00 pm

Every 3rd Thursday7:00 pm

Every 2nd Wednesday7:00 pm

Every Friday3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Every 3rd Monday6:30 pm

Every 4th Tuesday7:00 pm

4th Wednesday6:00 - 7:00 pm

Williams Hall at BarlowHospital, 2000 Stadium Way

Email [email protected] location


GEPENC Community room1572 Sunset Boulevard


Taix Restaurant

Edendale LibraryCommunity room2011 W. Sunset Blvd.

Parking lot #663 -- half a bock south of Sunset Boulevard(323) 463-3171 x13


GEPENC Community room1572 Sunset Boulevard


Email EPIA to get monthly remindersof meetings and to be on email list.

Take an active part in EPIA. Join theSteering Committee.

Hosted by EPSA. Call (323) 860-9914 for meeting location.

Call (213) 666-9651 formeeting location

Call (213) 630-3032 for furtherinformation.

Find out how you can help yourneighborhoods branch.

Call (213) 250-3400 for info orvisit www.GEPENC.org

For info: www.positiveenergygroup.blogspot.com

echo Park Community Calndar


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EPIAnways PAGE 7Community Rsourcs

POLICE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS

COMMUNITY SERVICES

POLITICAL

More info also available at our website, www.epia-echopark.org

CLEAN-UP

RAMPART DIVISION

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Emergency ....................................................911Spanish Line ................................... 213-928-8222

Narcotic Hotline ............................ 1-800-662-2878Child Abuse Hotline .....................1-800-540-4000Police Non-Emergency ....................1-877-275-5273LAPD Air Support Division ................ 213-485-2600

Department Building & Safety .........1-888-524-2845Department of Health.....................1-800-427-8700

Department of Transportation ............213-580-1177Department of Water & Power ........1-800-342-5397Parking Enforcement .......................................311Loose/Stray Animals/Barking Dogs ....888-452-7381Legal Aid Client Referral ................ 1-800-399-4529Operation Bright Lights ....................................311Street Lighting Repairs .....................................311

Report Grafti/Free Paint.................................311

Copies of Crime & Trafc Reports ......213-485-4193Dodgers Neighborhood Focus .......... 323-224-2636Dodgers Community Affairs ..............323-224-1435North Central Animal Shelter ............ 213-847-1416Elysian Park Ranger ......................... 323-913-4688Health Information ..........................................211Los Angeles City Information ............................311Neighborhood Prosecutor Program .... 213-847-8045

1st District Ed Reyes ......................... 213-473-700213th District Eric Garcetti...................323-957-4500Congressman Xavier Becerra ............213-483-1425Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard .. 213-628-9230State Senator Gil Cedillo .................. 213-612-9566Assemblyperson Kevin de Leon ..........323-225-4545LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina ..213-974-4111Mayors Ofce................................213-978-0600

Abandoned Vehicles .......................................311Cars Parked in Yards .....................1-888-524-2845Hazardous Waste Disposal Info ......1-800-988-6942Storm Drains ...................................213-485-5391Trash & Bulky Item Pick Up ..............1-800-773-2489LAFD Brush Clearance .....................818-374-1111

Division Desk ..........................213-484-3400 ext 1Vice Unit ........................................213-485-4080Division Watch Commander .............213-485-4062Senior Lead Ofcer Ford ...................213-793-0775Community Relations ...............213-484-3400 ext 2

China Town Sub-Station ................... 213-621-2344

Division Desk .................................. 213-485-2563Northeast Report Unit ...................... 213-485-2563Senior Lead Ofcer Bobby Hill ..........213-793-0760Senior Lead Ofcer Al Polehonki ........213-793-0763Detectives ....................................... 213-485-2566Community Relations ....................... 213-485-2548Gang Detail ................................... 213-847-4263


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EPIAnwaysPAGE 8

2nd CicLAvia coming soon

CicLAvia will take place Apl 10t, 2011, from 10:00am to 3:00 pm. The route encompasses Boyle Heights,

Little Tokyo, Downtown, MacArthur Park, Koreatown and

East Hollywood. The event is free and family-friendly

with no ofcial start or nish, so participants may

enter and depart anywhere along the way. Businesses

and restaurants along the CicLAvia route will be open

and participants are encouraged to patronize these

establishments.

CicLAvia is an amazing opportunity for Angelenos

to rediscover their cityan open streets festival where

families can explore Los Angeles together, in an entirelynew way. And if people participate like they did last

October, there is no reason such an event cant become

a permanent part of the citys fabric, said Aaron Paley,

CicLAvia Event Producer and Board member, in a press

release.

Visit ciclavia.wordpress.com for more info!


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EPIAnways PAGE 9

Accurate values by

local professionals

FREE!FREE!

w w w . U R B A N H I L L S I D E S . c o m

SIGN UP FOR OURE-NEWSLETTERGet updates on meetings, newsletter

publications, and events in Echo Park.

Subscribe to our e-newsletter by visiting

our website and clicking on sign up for our

newsletter in the right-hand column.


Baseball season is back!And so is our annual

Echo Park Night at Dodger Stadium

Saturday, May 28, 2011at 7:10 pm, vs. The Marlins

Get your $20 tickets

for just $10Send an email to [email protected]

or call 877-860-EPIAwith your name, phone, and number of tickets

Cont.:echo Park Lak(Continued from page 5)

wont being in April as planned since the draining process

will now take only two weeks rather than two months, they

were able to push back the start date to later this summer,

making room for the annual Lotus Festival to take placethis year.

The Dragon Boat Races

will also return

marking the 33rd

year of the tradition.

Everyone is welcome

to participate, and are

invited to apply by Friday,

June 10, 2011. All fees and

money raised support a scholarship

program for graduating high schoolstudents in Los Angeles. Visit

www.lotusfestival.org for more information about the

festival and the Dragon Boat races!

The Lotus Festival takes place July 9 and 10, 2011, at

the lake. See you there!


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EPIAnwaysPAGE 10

EChO PArK BrAnCh LiBrAry

For ChildrenBlgual Bab ad Toddle Stotme: Tuesdays

(April 12 and 19) at 12:30 pm. Have fun at the library

with your young child. Stories, songs, ngerplays and

more. For ages 6 weeks to 3 years old. This program

is bilingual in Spanish and English.

LACMA Faml At Class: Thursdays (April 14

and 21) at 4:00 pm. Learn about art and artists,

then create your own masterpiece! LACMA hosts

this weekly art workshop for school age children.

Program is bilingual in Spanish and English.

GAB: Books come alive for kids when they share

the fun of reading with GAB library volunteers. Call

213-250-7808 for hours.

Computer Classes

Ole Job Seacg & resume revew: If

you are a seasoned employee searching or a

recent graduate looking for a job, this class will

assist you in job searching, creating, and updating

your resume. This class is by appointment. For

information please call 213-250-7808.

Compute Classes to Go: Join us for Computer

Comfort, Computer Classes for Improving your

English, and Introduction to Beginning Web Design.

Individual and group classes by appointment only.

For information call Nadine Flores at 213-250-7808.

LOCATED AT:1410 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, 90026

Phone: (213) 250-7808 Fax: (213) 580-3744

EDEnDALE BrAnCh LiBrAry

ELFS Used Book Sale: April 13, 20 and 27 at 2:00pm. Join the Edendale Library Friends Society for

their weekly used book sale. All sales support the

library.

For Children

ifat & Toddle Stotme: Wednesdays (April

6, 13, 20, 27) at 10:00 am and 11:00 am. Children

1-3 and their special grown-ups join the childrens

librarian for nursery rhymes, songs, nger plays,

and books. Get ready to read and have fun in the

library! Please choose one program a day. Familiesare welcome to share books and play in the Early

Learning Area before and after the storytime.

For Teens

Tee Book Club: April 21 at 5:00 pm. Join us to

discuss our monthly teen book club selection. Check

out our blog at edendaleteens.blogspot.com to nd

out what were reading. Snacks always provided.

Tee Cookg Club: April 28 at 5:00 pm. Spring

has sprung and the farmers markets are full

of goodies, so were showcasing some tasty

vegetarian recipes that will please your palates.

Computer Classes

itoducto to te iteet: April 9 at 11:00 am.

This class covers the basics of using the Internet.

A basic familiarity with using the computer is a

prerequisite.

itoducto to E-mal: April 16 at 11:00 am. In

this class students create a free e-mail account and

learn the basics of sending and receiving e-mailmessages.

LOCATED AT:1410 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, 90026

Phone: (213) 250-7808 Fax: (213) 580-3744

SErViCE hOUrS: (both branches)

Sunday-Monday: Closed

Tuesday: 12:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Wednesday: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm

Thursday: 12:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Friday-Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm

ECHO PARK LIBRARY UPCOMING EVENTS

www.lapl.org


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EPIAnways PAGE 11

Continued:Hayashi clbrats 30 yars at CCAC(Continued from page 1)

earthquake damaged Central Citys Sunset Blvd. location

next to the Glendale Boulevard overpass. The organization

had to relocate downstairs to ve old, cramped storefrontson busy Glendale Boulevard. Eventually the city council

offered them the use of a restored re station at 534 North

East Edgeware Road.

In all three locations Maryanne has helped hundreds

of disadvantaged Echo Park boys and girls reach their

potential as productive members of society over the past

three decades. She and her staff have made sure they

stayed in school and out of trouble, learned responsibility

and how to ace a job interview. Maryanne admits that

there have been setbacksnowadays there are fewer

resources for at-risk children. Support, like schoolcounselors and job programs, were readily available in the

past. Los Angeles was full of small industries supplying

entry-level jobs, as well as larger plants like Lockheed

where a high school graduate could build a career. Then

jobs began to dry up and so did a lot of opportunities for

at-risk youth.

But the former Catholic Youth Organization activist

doesnt give up. Sitting in her second-oor ofce in the

re station building that houses the group, Maryanne

proudly ticks off the accomplishments of her kids, as

she calls the children Central City serves. Many of themcome from households where parents toil long hours at

low wage jobs that leave them without much time or funds

to lavish on their children for whom they want a better

life. Maryannes proud of those whose training at Central

City helped them nd work at local hospitals, or as bus

drivers and teachers aides. With guidance from her and

the staff many have gone on to college and eventually

professional careers.

The kids participation in the wider community gives

them the important ability to get along successfully with

people of other backgrounds. At rst breaking downbarriers between groups was a challenge, Maryanne says.

Latino and Philipino kids were suspicious of one another.

Parents feared the gay community. Whites saw the kids

as gang members. Maryanne got everyone involved with

each other through activities such as working side-by-

side, volunteering together at festivals, and sharing ethnic

foods. Exposure led to friendships and realizations that

they had plenty in common.

Children spend several years in the Central City

program, starting in fth or sixth grade. Over time each

one develops a folder containing records of all the projectstheyve completed, sports awards theyve received

volunteer work and jobs theyve held. They learn how

to handle the money they raise. When the time comes

to look for full-time work, they have a resume, often

including commendations from local businesses. These

kids know how to show up on time and do whats asked

by an employer.

Maryanne ensures there is plenty of fun too. The kids no

only go to sports events such as the Dodgers and Lakers

games, but also to movies, plays, museums and cultura

events. Kids who have never been taken to the beach, oeven Grifth Park, break out of that isolation. Maryanne

gets her kids away from their own little community to go

camping overnight, to visit San Diegoand even San

Francisco, when the center can afford it. She makes sure

her kids are comfortable anywhere.

Maryanne herself seems comfortable at home in the

handsome Spanish

style building Central

City shares with vintage

LAFD re engines. It

is here, climbing thesteep stairway to the

upper oor, that her

kids arrive after school,

with their backpacks

and their homework.

Here, with the circular

re pole railing in the

center of the room,

her kids are tutored

and encouraged. Here

they have fun, playinggames when their

schoolworks nished.

Here, their parents

know their children

are safe because

Maryannes heart is

with them.


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P O B 261021 L A l CA 90026 M Ph 877 860 EPIA

EPIAnways

This year we had donations from printers, other

community groups and residents that has allowed us to

continue to product our newsletter. Due to the cost of

printing we run a decit with each newsletter produced.

This is not something that the EPIA can sustain for a long

period of time if donations stop coming in. Therefore we

are attempting to raise funds for continued support of

the newsletter.

Thank you in advance for your Support.

Donation Amount:All contributions are appreciated equally

Name:

Address:

Email:

Yes! Sign me up for the EPIA email notications

We need your help

PAGE 12

by Gloria Sohacki

Since the kids went back to school in January it has been

a bit quiet during the mornings here at the re station.

There was a spell of warm weather for about a week soand the kids came after school to help sell more stuff to

nance some more outings. Thank you everyone for your

donations. They allow us to raise funds to take our kids

our for special events that bring big smiles to the faces.

In February, we had the Chinatown 10K run. Central

City has traditionally run the water stations for centuries.

So on a nice sunny Sunday we picked up some breakfast

sandwiches for our crews and sent them to Elysian Park

to manage the water stations.

This run had a 5k and a 10K and there were a lot of

runners. Being that it was not too hot we did not depleteour supply of water. During the race I noticed dogs running,

so with the help of Maynor (one of our kids) we fashioned

a bowl for the dogs to stop and lap up water.

After sweeping all the empty cups into garbage bags

and picking up the plastic bottles (recycling) we all went to

Chinatown for a luncheon. Now these luncheons usually

CCAC Update: Preparing for summer!serve the same variation of food each year and one of

my favorites is chicken with the head. The new kids go

crazy when they see a chicken head on the plate. In

fact, someone was collecting all the heads to take homeAfterwards we took a stroll around Chinatown.

We also participated in the Dodger Job Fair as usual

We helped set up all the tables and get things ready prio

to the event. Because of the rain and windy weather the

fair was moved inside. As usual we served pan dulce

rolls, cookies and fruit to the vendors. It was cold and

windy but the turnout was amazing. People came from al

over. Some were dressed professionally and some casua

but all were interested in seeking employment.

As the days get warmer (we hope) for spring break we

will be taking a survey on what the kids want to do forvacation. We are already starting for our big rummage

sale. This is a very important event to raise funds for

the long summer ahead. We have also been doing the

cleaning at the Silver Lake library. We thank everyone fo

the opportunity to help makes our kids lives a little better

Documents

Epian Ways April-May 2011