Panel Recommends South Park Improvements, Community Garden

As the  decided Tuesday night to push forward a master plan to refurbish , it also took a position on the idea of sprouting a community garden in town.

In a meeting, the commission agreed to recommend to the City Council that a Los Angeles County grant of $150,000 for park projects be allocated to only the first phase of the South Park Master Plan.

Commissioners also agreed to consider installing a temporary community garden adjacent to the park’s roller hockey rink as a so-called pilot program until the rink is demolished in the first phase of park improvements.

Even though Commissioner Laura Raymond told her fellow panel members that she was "concerned" to include the temporary garden in the South Park Master Plan discussion, she agreed with the idea of using "a pilot" to test the garden’s potential in the community.

The ad hoc Hermosa Beach Community Garden Committee has been studying the idea of growing a community garden since last year in September.

It first considered  for a garden, but now the group has focused on South Park.

As the committee remains in an early planning stage, the temporary garden could answer whether the South Park location, or growing a garden at all, gels with Hermosa Beach residents.

"We hope it becomes so successful there’s no objection," said garden committee member Dency Nelson in Tuesday’s commission meeting.

The proposal to refurbish South Park was approved by the City Council in October 2009. At the time, no funds were budgeted for its implementation (see accompanying staff report under photo.)

Now that the county has authorized a grant, "I think we’re on the cusp of making something happen," Raymond said.

The South Park Master Plan includes removing the to create more open space and building a children's play area, among other suggestions.

What improvements would you like to see at South Park? And are you in support of a community garden?