Over 500 people representing many different organizations and interests attended the three Griffith Park Master Plan Public Outreach Workships in June, 2003, including (but not limited to)The Sierra Club, The Friends of the River, The Tree People, The Friends of the Zoo, several Neighborhood Councils, local Residents' Associations, Park Rangers, Councilman Tom LaBonge and members of his staff, Park Maintenance, and even a large contingent of Mountain Bikers.
Each workshop - dubbed a "Focus Group" - was conducted by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, facilitated by the Melendrez Design Partners Team. Melendrez holds the contract to actually produce the written 25 year Master Plan.
Each meeting resembled a number of mini focus groups. The hall was arranged with tables and chairs that would seat 8 to 10 people - a mini focus group. There were approximately 25 tables (or focus groups) of attendees at each meeting. Each table chose a facilitator who presented the results of the table's ideas and thoughts about a list of subjects chosen by Recreation and Parks. Attendees were randomized to different tables as they entered each workshop.
The format for each meeting included Introductory remarks from Recreation and Parks, presentations about the night's discussion topics, and discussions at each table to collect each table's ideas and recommendations for the topics listed on that evening's "Break Out Group Questions/Instructions" handout (see below). At the end of the evening, each table's facilitator presented a summay to all attendees and turned the table's recommendations over to a Melendrez representative.
According to the "Master Plan Process" handout (see below) provided at each meeting, Workshop findings will be compiled and included in the development of the 25 year Master Plan. I hope that these compilations are made available to the public via the Internet.
Even though it remains to be seen how much these workshops will influence the final Master Plan, they afforded many groups the chance to make their opinions and "wishes" for the Park heard. Additionally, they facilitated networking among the various attendees. The most important recommendation agreed to by a majority of attendees was that there should be no further development in the Park, and that all present open spaces be preserved as such. This would include no further expansion of the Zoo and golf courses. Most attendees were firmly opposed to providing Mountain Bike Trails in Griffith Park.
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