WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
Saturday, January 25, 2014

Welcome

Founded in 1962, the WPRA is dedicated to maintaining the character of our neighborhoods and enhancing the quality of life in West Pasadena. 

   
Subscribe, unsubscribe or update your email address at the bottom of this page.

Send comments to update@wpra.net 

Ann Erdman
Editor 

 

View the latest and past issues of the WPRA's quarterly magazine, The News, which is mailed to more than 7,000 homes in West Pasadena.
Neighborhood Update
View past issues of this weekly WPRA eNewsletter, which is emailed each Saturday morning to more than 1,100 residents of Pasadena (and beyond).
 

 

 

 

City Council and commission meetings
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -

Monday, January 27

6:30 p.m.
Council Chambers
Room S249
100 N. Garfield Ave.
On the agenda: Findings related to the staging of additional displacement events at the Rose Bowl Stadium; first reading of an ordinance requiring spaying and neutering of pit bull and pit bull cross-breed dogs.

Tuesday, January 28

Design Commission
6 p.m.
First floor hearing room
Hale Building/Permit Center
175 N. Garfield Ave. (enter through Ramona Street door)
On the agenda: Concept design review of proposed Evanston Inn at 377-395 S. Marengo Ave. 

Neighorhoods in motion
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -
 

Japanese garden reopens 

The historic, peaceful Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden was closed in December and is once again open to the public the last Sunday of every month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Make your $7.50 reservation for Jan. 26 online. Children 12 and under are free.  

 

Colorado Street Bridge closure 

The Colorado Street Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 2 to 8 p.m. for the filming of a commercial for Ecolab. Detour plans will be in place and Pasadena police officers will assist with traffic control. Bicyclists and pedestrians will have access to the bridge, although they may be asked to stop briefly from time to time.

 

Draft policies for the General Plan update will be reviewed at a community meeting Saturday, Feb. 1, at 9 a.m. in the Creveling Lounge (Building CC) at Pasadena City College. The policies cover topics such as growth, transportation, design, historic preservation, environmental sustainability, arts and culture, economic vitality, parking and education, and give direction for future planning efforts for several areas of Pasadena, including the West Gateway.

 

Open enrollment for PUSD schools 

If you want your child to attend one of Pasadena Unified School District's magnate programs, dual-language immersion programs, themed high school academies or any other signature program, the deadline for open enrollment in
Thursday, Feb. 6, for the 2014/2015 academic year. You are eligible if your child will be entering kindergarten through 11th grade. 

 

 

WPRA in motion
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -

WPRA decries County plan to strip Devil's Gate, praises City stance
WPRA submitted comments to the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, stating WPRA "strongly opposes the LA County Flood Control District's crash plan to clean out Devil's Gate Dam." In a separate letter to Mayor Bill Bogaard and the Pasadena City Council, WPRA stated it "commends you for taking a strong position opposing LA County's [plan]." Both letters, along with a slide show titled "Developing Sustainable Sediment Management for Hahmongna" prepared by the Arroyo Seco Foundation are on available at www.wpra.net. 

Judge issues decision in lawsuit about NFL temporary use of Rose Bowl Stadium
The court has issued its ruling on the lawsuit challenging the environmental impact report for use of the Rose Bowl Stadium by an NFL team. In a 17-page decision, the judge ruled in favor of the City. WPRA supported the lawsuit. See a related Pasadena Star-News article in Editor's top news picks below (as with the others, click on the headline to see the article).

Mayor discusses 710 Freeway issue in State of the City address

Mayor Bill Bogaard presented his State of the City address Thursday, Jan. 23. In his update he included remarks about the 710 Freeway issue:

 

"My report tonight would not be complete without mentioning the now 60-year controversy about a possible extension of the 710 freeway from its northern terminus near Alhambra to Pasadena at the intersection of the 134 and 210 freeways. A milestone was reached last year confirming that the surface freeway will never be built. But the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is pursuing an EIR to evaluate various alternatives to the surface project, including a subterranean tunnel. The draft is expected to be available in about 90 days and will be the subject of intense evaluation at City Hall. The Council has just approved a five-city alliance involving Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, South Pasadena and Sierra Madre to cooperate in conducting studies that are needed to evaluate the impacts on our community of a tunnel project and other alternatives."

 

See the full text of the speech below in Editor's top news picks.  

Editor's top news picks
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -

"A judge has ruled in favor of the city in a lawsuit filed by three neighborhood associations challenging an environmental report for hosting a temporary NFL team at the Rose Bowl Stadium." Pasadena Star-News

"Pasadena is considering plans to narrow portions of Colorado Boulevard by as much as two lanes and use that space to widen sidewalks and create tiny parks with seating and greenery." Los Angeles Times

PCC Center for the Arts opens, garners reactions: "stunning," "spectacular."
"Pasadena City College officially opened its Center for the Arts with plein air festivities in a quad in front of the modern building attended by close to 500 on Thursday evening."  Pasadena Now

"Before hundreds of local civic, business, cultural and community leaders Pasadena's Mayor Bill Bogaard delivered his 2014 State of the City address Thursday night in Pasadena City College's new Center for the Arts and declared that 'arts and innovation are the connective tissue that binds the fabric of Pasadena.'" Pasadena Now

"On Saturday, January 25, 20 museums will be open to the public with free admission. Choices include the Autry, the California African American Museum, the Science Center, and locally, the Armory Center for the Arts, USC Pacific Asia Museum and the Pasadena Museum of California Art." Hometown Pasadena

Leisure
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -

 

Looking for other ways to entertain or educate yourself and your family? 

For current events around the area, we encourage you to visit our local news outlets. Click on the publication title to visit that publication's events section (alphabetical order).

Attend WPRA board meetings each month 

Monthly WPRA board meeting dates and locations are on the WPRA website. Click on the headline above or visit our website and look under "Meetings and Events."


The WPRA needs you ... 

If you'd like to serve your community and do it with a group of your neighbors who are equally dedicated, the WPRA encourages you to join your neighborhood residents' association. If you live within our service area, we'd welcome your help. 

  • Got the local news bug? Just curious about your city (and would like to share news with 1,000 or so of your closest friends), consider serving as a co-editor of Neighborhood Update. It will only take a few hours a week (on your own schedule) in the month or two a year in which you'd serve. We'll train you.  
  • We have lots of opportunities to serve on one of our many committees:
    • Land use and planning
      If you care about how we use our land  
    • Education
      If you want to help save public education for West Pasadena  
    • Open space & conservation
      If you care about preserving open space and conservation of land and resources 
    • Membership
      If you'd like to help us continue to build our membership so we can do more  
If you'd like to chat about ways we could help you become more involved or, more likely, more effective (by helping us), send an email to WPRA President. Tell him about your interests.   
To learn more

Visit wpra.net or click on one of the following links

To submit information for the Neighborhood Update, send it to update@wpra.net. 

 

Joseph Stoddard's watercolors: The WPRA wishes to express its appreciation to local artist Joseph Stoddard, who has generously allowed us to display his watercolors in this eZine, in our quarterly magazine, WPRA News, on the WPRA website and in this publication. To explore Mr. Stoddard's work, visit josephstoddard.com.