A couple of weeks ago, I took an awesome kayak trip down the Los Angeles River and shot some video along the way. Check it out.
It's an exciting time for the Los Angeles River. This summer's kayak tours sold out immediately and have been the hottest ticket in town. Agencies and elected officials at all levels are now engaged in efforts to revitalize the River, including the Obama administration, which has included the River as part of its Urban Waters Federal Partnership. The California Legislature just passed a bill that will help increase public access to the River.
If you missed out on the kayak tours this year, contact the organizers and your local elected officials and let them know the program should be expanded. I've also included some links below if you want to learn more about L.A. River kayak trips and revitalization efforts.
Links:
Paddle the L.A. River Program: This is the tour I took, highlighted in the video above. The PADDLE program is run by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps under a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with The River Project, the Mountains and Recreation Conservation Authority, Urban Semillas, Friends of the Los Angeles River, and the City of Los Angeles.
L.A. River Expeditions: This group is also leading L.A. River kayak tours, all of which sold out instantly.
Taylor Yard: Here's my blog post on our collaborative efforts with the community to protect open space along the River at a former railyard known as Taylor Yard. A follow-up post is here. The developer has extended its option once again, so I will be updating my blog again on this issue soon.
L.A. River Revitalization Master Plan: This is the City of Los Angeles's long-term vision and master plan for revitalizing the River and the communities through which the River flows.