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To: Mark Ridley-Thomas, CD10, and Parks and Recreation, CITY OF LOS ANGELES

OPEN LEIMERT PLAZA GATES

OPEN LEIMERT PLAZA TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 7 AM TO 10 PM.

Why is this important?

***LEIMERT PARK SHOPPERS AND VENDORS ARE BEING CHARGED TO USE RESTROOMS!! CD10’S ILLEGAL AND UNEXPLAINED REFUSAL TO OPEN PARK GATES & ALLOW ACCESS TO PUBLIC RESTROOMS PLACES UNDUE HARDSHIP ON MERCHANTS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO BATHROOMS.

AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON ACTUALLY ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE PEOPLE $5 EACH TO USE THE RESTROOM IN A LOCATION THAT DID NOT EVEN BELONG TO HIM!

THAT PERSON HAS BEEN STOPPED FROM CHARGING FOLKS, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE SPIRIT OF LEIMERT! THE LEIMERT PARK MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION HAS OCCASIONALLY PAID AND PROVIDED PORTAPOTTIES ON WEEKENDS. THE LEIMERT VENDORS ASSOCIATION HAVED ALSO HELPED PAY FOR PORTAPOTTIES...BUT WHY SHOULD VENDORS AND MERCHANTS BE FORCED TO PROVIDE RESTROOMS WHEN THE CITY COULD EASILY UNLOCK THE PARK GATES AND BATHROOMS EACH DAY?

COVID HAS ALREADY HIT OUR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES HARD, WHY IS THE CITY FORCING STRUGGLING BUSINESSES TO PAY FOR A SERVICE THAT SHOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE CITY?!

LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO, HERB WESSON, MARQUEECE HARRIS DAWSON AND THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A $50,000 TAXPAYER FUNDED REMODEL AND UPGRADE TO THE RESTROOMS. YET THESE NEWLY REMODELED BATHROOMS SIT LOCKED UP BEHIND A GATE THAT CITY COUNCIL COMMANDEERED ANOTHER $450,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO BUILD. WHY WERE TAXPAYERS FORCED TO SPEND $500,000 ON A PARK AND BATHROOM THEY CANNOT USE?!

WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PARK BEING LOCKED, THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION SAYS TALK TO THE CD10 “TASKFORCE”. BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHO THE CD10 TASK FORCE IS! CALLS AND EMAILS TO HERB WESSON WHILE HE WAS STILL IN OFFICE AND SYLVIA LACEY, THE AREA REP, HAVE GONE UNANSWERED FOR MONTHS.

HAS OUR TAXPAYER MONEY BEEN SPENT BUILD RESTROOMS FOR THE NEW METRO STOP? ARE THE BATHROOMS LOCKED NOW TO SAVE THEM FOR THE OPENING OF THE METRO STOP? THE MERCHANTS AND VENDORS CURRENTLY IN LEIMERT PARK HAVE KEPT THE VILLAGE THRIVING, EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS PAY ADDITIONAL TAXES TO THE CITY RUN “BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT”. THAT MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT THE VILLAGE AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO ATTRACT AND MAINTAIN COMMERCE. WHY ISN’T THE BID HELPING TO PROVIDE RESTROOMS? BUT WE ALL SEE THAT IT ISN’T.

THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT EACH AND EVERY WEEKEND TO SHOP AND SUPPORT LOCAL BLACK OWNED BUSINESS. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE PUBLIC BATHROOMS IN OUR COMMUNITY. DEMAND THAT MARK RIDLEY THOMAS, OUR NEWLY ELECTED COUNCILMAN, OPEN THE GATES TO THE PARK AND THE DOORS TO THE RESTROOMS!

How it will be delivered

By Mail

4395 Leimert Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008, USA

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Updates

2021-04-25 16:28:54 -0700

500 signatures reached

2021-01-26 18:43:02 -0800

100 signatures reached

2021-01-23 12:04:13 -0800

50 signatures reached

2021-01-23 08:41:30 -0800

25 signatures reached

2021-01-22 22:18:38 -0800

10 signatures reached