Neighborhood: Hollywood Hills West
Next Steps on Cahuenga Peak
Cahuenga Peak Next Steps Committee members, l-r: Joe Young, Terry Davis, Daniel Savage, Sheila Irani, the Councilmember, Graham Marriott, Louis Alvarado and Felix Martinez.
Councilmember LaBonge and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) led a successful fundraising effort this year to acquire 138-acre Cahuenga Peak as an expansion of Griffith Park.
So, what's next?
The Councilmember formed a committee this week to identify other undeveloped parcels of land adjacent to the park that the city can consider acquiring as well.
"There's nothing like a wilderness mountain that you can see from almost any place in the city," the Councilmember told eight of the committee members at its first meeting last night. "Maybe there are other parcels near Cahuenga Peak that we could protect from development and open to all Angelenos for hiking."
The Cahuenga Peak Next Steps Committee will meet over the next six months to help plan the Cahuenga Peak celebration event and begin the next steps.
Hollywood Goes Blue for a Cause
Capitol Records one of several iconic buildings going blue in Hollywood.
Councilmember Tom LaBonge flipped the switch at a ceremony on Wednesday, to turn Hollywood blue in support of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute’s (PCRI) Blue September Campaign. Dr. Mark Scholz, co-founder of PCRI and Jim Kuha, Senior Director of EMI Music North America, joined the Councilmember at the ceremony.
“It’s so important for Americans to learn how to speak frankly about this disease that affects 180,000 American men every year,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “This is my call to action for the people of Los Angeles and across the world: Let’s take care of ourselves, get your yearly prostate exam and let’s fight this killer.”
Buildings going blue include the Capitol Records Building, Paramount Studio’s Melrose Gate and Water Tower the historic Roosevelt Hotel and the Ramada of West Hollywood. International organizations are also showing their solidarity with the campaign, including The Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia and the Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia.
Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in males in the Western world. Each year, 27,000 American men die from prostate cancer and 180,000 men are diagnosed with the disease. Over 2 million American men and women are currently living with the disease. Studies have shown links between a high-calorie diet and prostate cancer—a fact for serious consideration in Los Angeles where obesity has been on the rise. A 2003 report from the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services stated nearly 55% of Los Angeles residents are obese or overweight.
The Blue September Campaign, launched by the Prostate Cancer Research Institute, aims to raise awareness about prostate cancer. The PCRI was founded in 1996, with the objective of educating patients and their families about prostate cancer.
For more information about Blue September or PCRI, please go to www.blueseptember.org.
Chuck Berry Day in L.A.
Chuck Berry, the music legend, guitarist, lyricist, singer and pioneer of rock ‘n’ roll, was honored by Councilmember Tom LaBonge and adoring music fans at the Hollywood and Highland Center on Friday.
“It is my pleasure to honor Chuck Berry because he is an American icon,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “He is a worldwide idol of rock ‘n’ roll and we thank him for his many years of music genius. Special thanks to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for honoring one of our brightest stars on the 50th Anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”
Councilmember LaBonge declared July 2, 2010 “Chuck Berry Day” with a presentation of a resolution from the City of Los Angeles. The Councilmember also presented a plaque of Chuck Berry’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star on behalf of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Congresswoman Diane Watson issued a certificate of commendation in honor of Berry’s long list of musical accolades. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce was also in attendance.
“It is such an honor to receive a day in my name and this beautiful replica of my Hollywood Walk of Fame Star,” Chuck Berry said. “It’s like a dream. I will do my best to deserve this tribute during the years I have left.”
“On behalf of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce we welcome you back to Hollywood during the Walk of Fame’s 50th Anniversary,” Scott Moe, Treasurer of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said. “We are proud to have you as a legendary Walk of Famer.”
Hundreds of music fans gathered to honor the elusive rock legend on Los Angeles’ Chuck Berry Day, many of whom then traveled to Irvine to see Berry perform at the Oak Canyon Ranch.
Known for such hits as "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), the star has captivated fans for generations.
Cahuenga Peak Officially Part of Griffith Park
Councilmember Tom LaBonge announced today that Griffith Park expanded by more than 100 acres when the acquisition of Cahuenga Peak was recorded by the City Clerk this week. The Cahuenga Peak property is the pristine hillside beside the famed HOLLYWOOD sign. It had been threatened with luxury housing development until the Councilmember led the successful “Save the Peak” fundraising effort earlier this year.
"This is a great day for all Angelenos, past, present and future,” said Councilmember LaBonge, whose 4th Council District includes Cahuenga Peak. “This land is preserved in perpetuity for the hiking, exploring and enjoyment of the people of Los Angeles.”
The purchase adds much needed public park land in Los Angeles, which has the lowest per capital park acreage among major U.S. cities, with just 4.2 acres of open space per 1000 residents. The purchase also creates a vital wildlife corridor between Griffith Park and coastal conservancy land.
Councilmember LaBonge had set aside $4.3 million in public park funding over the past eight years to purchase the land. When the property owners listed it for $22 million in 2008, the Councilmember partnered with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to launch a fundraising campaign to purchase it.
TPL struck an agreement with the owners to buy the land at a reduced price ($12.5 million) to expand Griffith Park. The effort, dubbed the Save the Peak campaign, attracted donations from Hollywood stars, inspired an outpouring of support from the local community and drew media attention from around the world.
The two largest donors were local philanthropist Aileen Getty and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation, who each contributed $1.25 million. Just before the fundraising deadline, Playboy Founder Hugh Hefner stepped forward with a $900,000 donation to close the fundraising gap.
Hollywood leaders donated $3.2 million, including major donations from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, CBS Corporation, The Entertainment Industry Foundation, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, the Lucasfilm Foundation, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Steven Spielberg, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Time Warner Inc., and The Walt Disney Company Foundation. Other Hollywood contributors include Creative Artists Agency, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, and Norman Lear.
In addition to headline-grabbing larger donations, community activists also sold baked goods, held a rally and sponsored a concert at a Sunset Strip nightclub to raise money for this grassroots campaign that attracted international support. Many area neighborhood groups also donated, including the Argyle Civic Association, the Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association, the Cahuenga Pass Property Owners Association, the Hollywood Dell Civic Association, the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council, the Hollywood Knolls Community Club, the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council, the Hollywoodland Homeowners Association, the Lake Hollywood Homeowners Association
Los Feliz Improvement Association, the Mt. Olympus Property Owners Association, the Oaks Homeowners Association, the Spaulding Square Neighborhood Association, the St. Andrews Square Neighborhood Association and the Whitley Heights Civic Association.
Near the Top on Cahuenga Peak
Fernanda Kellogg of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, Barry Sanders of the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners, Sam Smith of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board and Will Rogers of the Trust for Public Land joined Councilmember LaBonge at Cahuenga Peak today.
Councilmember LaBonge and officials from the Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced a 16-day extension to raise the final $1 million needed to save the view of the famous Hollywood sign by preserving the 138 acres of pristine hillside just to the west of the sign.
Philanthropist Aileen Getty and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation President Fernanda Kellogg announced they will each donate $250,000 more as a challenge grant, meaning TPL will receive the money only if it raises an additional $1 million. Ms. Getty and the Tiffany Foundation had each previously donated $1 million.
Councilmember LaBonge set aside $4.3 million in public park funding over the past eight years to purchase the hillside property called Cahuenga Peak. Last year, he partnered with TPL, which made an agreement with the owners to buy the land for $12.5 million to expand Griffith Park.
"We're looking for people who want to be big stars in Hollywood by helping to Save the Peak," the Councilmember said. "Thank you to everyone who is helping us preserve this natural hillside for the future of Los Angeles. We're almost at the top and I know we'll get there."
Added Will Rogers, TPL President: "We need to raise a total of $12.5 million and today, we're at $11.5 million, including the money from the challenge grants. Our deadline was originally set for today, April 14, but we have just secured an extension of that deadline to April 30."
The new total of $11 million raised includes gifts, pledges and intentions. There has been a groundswell of support for the effort in the Los Angeles area, including local residents who have held bake sales, rallies, and a fund-raising concert on the Sunset Strip. For more information or to donate to this effort, please click here.
Also on hand for today's announcement were Barry Sanders, president of the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners; Leron Gubler, President of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Sam Smith, Chairperson of the Board of the Hollywood chamber.
Save the Peak Rally Raises More than $9,000
Councilmember LaBonge joined members of the Hollywood High School marching band and Hollywood Hills community activists at the Rally for the Peak on Saturday.
About 150 people joined Hollywood Hills community activists Councilmember LaBonge and the Trust for Public Land at a rally to Save Cahuenga Peak, a 138-acre parcel just west of the famous Hollywood sign.
The rally, bake sale, concert and hula-hoop demonstration raised more than $9,000 to preserve the land as an extension of Griffith Park.
Councilmember LaBonge and the Trust for Public Land must raise $12.5 million by April 14th in an agreement with the owners of the pristine hillside land. They have raised about $9.45 million from public and private sources so far. For more information about the Save the Peak campaign, please click here.
Visit Hollywood 2010
Councilmember LaBonge joined Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Council President Eric Garcetti in launching "Visit Hollywood 2010," a campaign to draw more tourists to Tinseltown this summer.
The three city officials joined business and community leaders at a press conference at the Universal Studios Hilton Hotel this week.
Visit Hollywood 2010, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was conceived to promote the many new hotels and attractions that have opened during the recent Hollywood renaissance.
In the past nine months alone, the W Hotel and Madame Tussaud's have opened on Hollywood Boulevard.
The campaign links the Hollywood neighborhood with the theme park, hotel and attractions at Universal City just over the hill to boost the local economy and create new jobs.
Pies for the Peak
Hollywood stars, community groups and Beachwood Canyon residents contributed to Councilmember LaBonge's effort to expand Griffith Park by acquiring Cahuenga Peak, a 138- acre parcel to the west of the Hollywood sign.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL), which is the City's partner in this campaign, announced $3 million in donations from Hollywood studios and individuals. In Beachwood Canyon, residents raised a quick $1,800 for the effort by selling home-baked "Pies for the Peak" at the Beachwood Market. The Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council also pledged $5,000 to the effort.
Councilmember LaBonge and the Trust for Public Land must raise $12.5 million by April 14th in an agreement with the land owners. They have raised $9.45 million from public and private sources so far. For more information about the Save the Peak campaign, please click here.
Among the Hollywood donors were the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, CBS Corporation, The Entertainment Industry Foundation, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, the Lucasfilm Foundation, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Steven Spielberg, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Time Warner Inc., and The Walt Disney Company Foundation. Other Hollywood leaders to contribute include Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, and Norman Lear.
The "Pies for the Peak" event, organized by Beachwood residents Elaine Michaels, Betty Petitt and other neighborhood leaders.
“Thank you to all of the people who have made donations," Councilmember LaBonge said. "You are truly Hollywood stars. Together, we will reach our goal."
