ArroyoFest: Freeway Walk and Bike Ride: June 15, 2003

…Connecting Communities

ArroyoFest Bulletin # 16
July 11, 2003

Thanks to the efforts of countless volunteers, sponsoring businesses, agencies and institutions, and city and state officials, the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway (formerly known as the Pasadena Freeway) closed for pedestrians and bicyclists on Sunday morning June 15, 2003.

For all of us who attended, it was a magical day. The feedback has been overwhelming. So many have said, “I hope it can be done next year!” Some have even suggested that the parkway be closed every week!

Read more below about the event and its aftermath and what needs to be done to support ArroyoFest and its mission of improving quality of life by connecting the communities of the Arroyo Seco.

ArroyoFest a Success Beyond Expectations!!

On Sunday morning, June 15 silence echoed through the Arroyo Seco’s canyon for the first time in 63 years. An early morning mist adorned the Parkway as more than 3,000 cyclists took to the road at 7 a.m. This was followed by blue sky for the several thousand walkers who began at 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. from four locations along the historic road. Ninety full-length banners prepared by students from several different schools in the area were along the fences lining the Parkway. Down at Sycamore Grove Park in Highland Park, cyclists and walkers were greeted with water, music, food and 70 exhibitors from all corners of the Arroyo and the region. To be ON the Parkway without a car, as so many people later described their experience, was transformative. The feeling of connection – with other people, with nature and with the past – was tremendous. And many felt empowered – “we owned the freeway,” as one cyclist described it – imagining what the Arroyo was once like and what it could be in the future.

A special thank you goes to all who participated in pulling the event together. Such a magical day could not have been possible without the faith, support, enthusiasm and energy of those who felt it could indeed happen, even here, or especially here, in Southern California.

ArroyoFest in the Press

ArroyoFest received lots of local, national and even international coverage. We were pleased that almost all of the coverage discussed the issues underlying the event and drew attention to ways to improve the quality of life around the Arroyo and throughout Southern California. To see a complete list of articles and media coverage visit our website at www.arroyofest.org.

ArroyoFest: Next Steps

There are several issues regarding next steps including fundraising, the development of products describing and summarizing the importance of the event, and political follow through on the different issues highlighted by the event.

Fundraising for an event like ArroyoFest is of course a major issue. From the outset, event organizers sought to develop a fundraising strategy that was in keeping with the nature of the event:
· emphasizing the “connecting communities” focus
· getting support from local neighborhood groups and businesses
· going to public agencies and elected officials to provide in kind resources as well as cash where possible
· soliciting regional businesses, particularly those who were supportive of the community and environmental themes associated with ArroyoFest.

The total costs for ArroyoFest 2003 was $235,000, which does not include donated staff and volunteer time to answer phones, coordinate meetings and send out e-mails like this one. It took almost 2 years to close in on ArroyoFest’s fundraising goal. Along the way, organizers identified several creative ways to cut costs and raise funds and still follow through with the nature and breadth of the event as conceived. Organizers also made a decision to keep a low registration fee ($10) to encourage as many community participants as possible for the bike ride (even though other bike rides have charged as much as $35 for registration). Organizers didn’t want to prevent folks from participating if they didn’t have the money or came late and weren’t able to register. There was no charge for the walk event for similar reasons (encouraging community participation).

Not all the funds were raised in advance of the event. As the event drew near and commitments needed to be made, loans were made by organizations (notably ArroyoFest’s key organizational backer, the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute) as well as by event organizers who put down their own credit card numbers with the hope that bike registrations, sales of posters, t-shirts as well as other ArroyoFest materials, and event donations would help make up the shortfall. The event generated some funds (and some folks have also subsequently sent small donations or ordered t-shirts, maps, and posters) but ArroyoFest still remains about $30,000 in the red.

A post-ArroyoFest fundraising strategy is now in the works. This includes asking participants (including those of you reading this Bulletin) to join the ArroyoFest Community Circle of supporters by adding to the registration fee (even another $10 would help) or, as with those who walked the Parkway, providing some post-event support. Organizers have established an ArroyoFest “store” for purchases of t-shirts and other ArroyoFest materials such as teacher resource guides, souvenir maps and posters. Grant applications are also being explored to further the work of ArroyoFest (for example, creating a “Stories of the Arroyo and ArroyoFest” publication, slide show and power point presentation). Contributions are now being solicited and can be sent to ArroyoFest, 2106 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041. Stop by or call the ArroyoFest number at 323-341-5091 or click on “Store” on the ArroyoFest website at www.arroyofest.org for complete information.

ArroyoFest organizers want to particularly thank members of the Community Circle who have thus far made donations or provided in-kind support (separate from the “Sponsors” group listed at the end of this message):

Bill and Claire Bogaard, Mary Barrie, Ed and Bee Simpson, Michael Schacht, Women’s Environmental Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Julian Donahue, Julie and Alan Uehara, Joe Linton, Advanced Lending Group, Phil McGrath Family Farms, Virginia Renner, Rachel Wing, Carolyn Meredith, John Sommer and Cynthia Hicks.

ArroyoFest Products

ArroyoFest will continue to have a life of its own in part through the development of ArroyoFest products and materials that describe and summarize the importance of this historic event. One of the first that organizers are working on is an ArroyoFest scrapbook (hard copy and on CD) that will also be part of a longer term “Stories of the Arroyo” project. Many ArroyoFest participants have sent photos, videos, stories and pictures of June 15, 2003 for this project. More of these are needed to create a product that will spread the word of ArroyoFest and hopefully recapture some of the magic of the event and its crucial goals. The scrapbook can also help raise funds in the future and communicate the importance of June 15 to elected officials, public agencies, teachers, schools and other communities around the country. Material for the scrapbook can be sent to arroyo@oxy.edu or ArroyoFest, 2106 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041.

In addition a “How To” Manual for closing a freeway for a walk and bike ride is also in the works. The manual will include detailed information on how it was done, the specifics of the permitting process, and how to address unexpected obstacles. Such a manual will not only be invaluable for future ArroyoFests but for any other initiative that might be pursued for other freeways in the region or around the country.

Other possible products under discussion include an expansion of the “River Runs Through It” Teacher Resource Guide, policy briefs and research monographs on the history of the Parkway and efforts to realize the Parkway idea in the Arroyo, publications related to the Arroyo Seco stream and watershed and the historical and cultural life of the region.

ArroyoFest Political Follow-Through

Within days after ArroyoFest, local and regional organizers, elected officials, and the media began to raise the issue of follow-through, not only in relation to future ArroyoFests but also concerning the issues raised by the event. Should there be a commuter bikeway between Pasadena and Los Angeles? Where are the most likely places to restore a living stream or develop new parks? What about affordable housing at Gold Line stops? Bike racks at each Gold Line station? And why not close the freeway every Sunday morning for an ArroyoFest-type event?

One of the valuable outcomes from ArroyoFest was the development of a community policy agenda for the Arroyo prepared by the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute with significant input from many community groups and agencies. This policy agenda is a work in progress (you can access it on the UEPI website (www.uepi.oxy.edu) as well as the ArroyoFest web site). Political champions need to be identified for both the general goals as well as specific agenda items that can be implemented now and over the next several years. The development of a network of community activists, organizations and concerned residents – already under discussion by a number of groups – is the next step for political follow through from ArroyoFest.

It was a fabulous event, but next time…

Thanks to everyone who sent feedback about how to improve ArroyoFest for the future. There were definitely things that could have been done better (e.g. directions), as well as some things that couldn’t be controlled (the disappearing shuttle bus for one and CHP restrictions on when to enter and where). Please share any feedback about the event so we can also be include it in the “How To” manual.

Schools Turn Out for ArroyoFest

Thanks to all the teachers who got their schools involved in ArroyoFest. The “Education Corner,” where classrooms displayed projects related to the Arroyo, got the most foot traffic of all the exhibits at the festival. The banners that participants saw along the freeway all came from local schools and was a great demonstration of the community support and pride of place that ArroyoFest hoped to establish. Many schools walked together and Council member Ed Reyes even pulled the Trojan Horse made by students at Nightingale Middle School up the parkway from Avenue 26! Please send any photos of the school banners along the parkway that can also be included in the ArroyoFest scrapbook.

If you are a teacher and ArroyoFest has inspired you, you should visit the website at www.arroyofest.org to learn about the resources available to help teach students about the environment, history and communities of the Arroyo Seco.

Get Involved with ArroyoFest – Look for Upcoming Meetings and Events

ArroyoFest gave a tremendous boost to efforts to improve quality of life in the Arroyo Seco area. Elected officials and public agencies were impressed with the community interest and support for the different projects in the area. Important initiatives gained media attention. The event strengthened partnerships between the cities, organizations and residents. The event, however, was only one step in the process of creating livable communities. ArroyoFest will continue to work with local groups and agencies to connect communities and further this process. Stay tuned for additional opportunities to get involved with ArroyoFest and the Arroyo.

Community Contributions Add to ArroyoFest

There were a number of special contributions made to ArroyoFest from people throughout the area.

· Jennifer Murphy helped to coordinate the creation of the wonderful “Spirit of the Arroyo” puppet that made its way down the parkway.
· Luis Quirarte helped coordinate a Gran Limpieza of the Arroyo Seco in advance of the event. Approximately 30 people turned out the week before to help clean the parks. It made a huge difference.
· Ron Cooperman donated some great ArroyoFest souvenir pins for the event.
· The staff of Northeast Trees created fish flags of steelhead trout carried on stalks of exotic species Arundo domax.
· Andreas Hessing and Kathryn Miller, artists in residence with the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service put together a special art installation under the pedestrian bridge viewed by everyone who walked back to their starting areas in the channel.
· The Nightingale Middle School band played at the Avenue 26 walk entrance.

There were doubtless many other spontaneous expressions of care and support for the Arroyo and local communities not mentioned here. For example, there have been stories about an anonymous bagpiper serenading the CHP at the Avenue 64 walk start. Thanks again to all who made it a special day.

AND BE IN TOUCH!

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ArroyoFest is sponsored by: Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, The Gas Company, Avery Dennison, Amalgamated Bank, American Union Financial and Oralia Michel Marketing and Public Relations, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Councilmember Ed Reyes, City of Los Angeles, District 1, Safeco Insurance, Northeast Observer, City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks, Western Asset Financial Management, Southern Californian Edison
ArroyoFest is also supported by generous grants and donations from: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Environment NOW, Operating Engineers Local 12, REI, Kaiser Permanente, The Metropolitan Water District Community Partners Program, The Ford Foundation, City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, City of Pasadena Department of Water and Power, City of Pasadena Department of Public Works, City of South Pasadena, Community Outreach Partnership Center at Occidental College.

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