City Officials Address Plummer Park Controversy

Acknowledging community opposition to the Plummer Park renovation plans, city officials indicated Monday that modifications to the $41-million project would be considered prior to groundbreaking.

“The issues surrounding Plummer Park are not the objections of a handful of people, but what I think is a growing concern of many in the community,” said Councilman Jeff Prang during his opening remarks at Monday night’s West Hollywood City Council meeting.

“I think we do owe it to the community to go back and see if there are modifications that we can incorporate into the project that would mitigate some of the concerns that have come up,” Prang said.

City Manager Paul Arevalo also addressed the controversy, and said: "From the staff’s prospective, we have been hearing the concerns of the community. We are re-examining the plans. ... Where we can modify the project, we will do so.”

The officials' remarks reflected the growing momentum of the Protect Plummer Park movement, which stemmed from residents' opposition to the planned renovation work that would see a majority of the park closed for up to two years.

Prang said he had “never witnessed another event with such strenuous objections to the plans.”

“The project as adopted has missed the mark on several points, which I think is generally the objection to the approved plan,” Prang said.

Although he voted to approve the plan to rehabilitate the park earlier this year based on the vetting process, Prang admitted he was not entirely comfortable with some of the elements of that plan.

“I was never thrilled with the ultra-modern modification to Fiesta Hall with the juxtaposition to the existing facility,” Prang said. “I think it is a bit severe.”

The Spanish Colonial Revival-style Fiesta Hall, built in the 1940s, is scheduled to get a complete makeover to transform it into a state-of-the-art performing arts center. That renovation calls for relocating the lobby to the north side of the building and adding an upwardly curving roof, which some protesters say looks like something from The Jetsons.

The center portion of the park is scheduled to close for 18 to 24 months in late February while construction crews begin digging for a $10-million, 179-space underground parking garage. As a result of that dig, the majority of the trees in the park will be removed, including all of the 100-year-old so-called “heritage” trees.

Additionally, the 1930s-era WPA-built Great Hall and Long Hall, plus the Tiny Tots preschool building, will all be demolished. The preschool will be rebuilt, but the others will not.

“When the city is prepared to make such a major investment in a treasured community resource like Plummer Park, it should feel like something people are pleased with,” Prang said.

Since West Hollywood is known as the “Creative City,” Prang said, there should be a way to come up with a creative solution to satisfy residents.

Prang’s comments met with thunderous applause from dozens of Protect Plummer Park activists in the audience.

Arevalo said the East side of the city is “deserving of a beautiful park,” noting that bonds have been “specifically dedicated to advancing an effort to improve the park.”

Arevalo also said, “Before any groundbreaking, before anyone is temporarily relocated, we will have that conversation [about modifications to the current plan].”

Despite the city officials' remarks Monday, members of Protect Plummer Park, which staged an , were continuing their protests of the renovation plans.

The group sent out an email Tuesday night urging people to attend the Pubic Facilities Commission meeting on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall and speak during the public comment portion of the meeting.

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