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On March 12, 2011, over 150 South LA residents, community leaders, and health advocates gathered for a four hour bus and bike tour, visiting six unique empty space initiatives in South LA. The sites were examples of where community groups have successfully transformed vacant lots into pocket parks and community gardens that serve as gems in their respective communities. Other sites included places where residents are just starting efforts to transform their empty street spaces, like alleyways, and are still looking for support and funding.
Three days later, tour participants re-convened to share their frustrations, experiences, and ideas with city officials at the Re-Imagining Empty Space Summit. City officials from the planning department, General Services, and the Food Policy Council responded to questions about how empty spaces can be transformed by describing the policy initiatives they are working on within the city to facilitate more of the projects witnessed on the bus and bike tours. Presentations from three out-of-town planners and advocates inspired both community members and city officials with what’s worked in other communities and might be possible in LA.
Organized by the Coalition for an Active South LA, the two-day event served as a way to raise awareness about the correlation between health and environmental disparities in South LA and about the potential innovations to create a more active South LA. Currently, South LA residents experience the highest rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in all of LA County: this rate is three times higher than in other parts of the county like West LA. South LA also contains the least amount of bike lanes and parks.
Advocates from the Coalition and the two-day event will hold follow up meetings to determine what innovations are possibilities for South LA.
