Greetings everyone!
FINALLY, we get some face time with Jane
Harman! Councilman Richard Montgomery from Manhattan Beach
thought enough of our project to march her over to our booth at Polliwog
Park on Earth Day. She listened to our pitch for about 10 minutes and
uttered the proverbial byline of any successful politician, "I'm
interested." I did my best in a short amount of time, and I'll follow-up
with her local staff, but what an honor to finally meet her. She has been
my congressional representative for over 10 years, and it was great
to have her attention on such an important issue for everyone in the South
Bay (see attached photo).
Mimi and Dave also manned a booth for the SBPC
at the SeaLab the entire day, and got the exact same impression that Don,
Jillaine and myself got at Polliwog Park - Everybody wants this to
happen! Every resident and every politician (outside of a few from Redondo
Beach) supports our goal and wants us to be successful. More and more
residents are joining the cause and seeing the obvious - this area needs a
coastal park.
Many thanks to those of you that signed-up on
Earth Day, especially to those who also joined the South Bay Parkland
Conservancy. Your support will make all the difference. In fact, all
we need to do is talk to our neighbors and continue to build support for
the vision of a coastal park in the South Bay. With time,
political will, and strong political leadership, the South Bay will have a crown
jewel coastal park that will make us all proud, but more importantly, leave a
legacy of restoration that will guide future generations and give them something
they can enjoy forever.
Want to help, meet some great people and be
part of all this? Join us for a day of planting evening primrose,
sunflowers, verbena, etc. and enjoy lunch and drinks on us. Come to
the bluffs at the beach in Redondo Beach south of Avenue I on
Saturday, May 20th, and help out the SeaLab and the Beach Bluff Restoration
Project. Ann Dalkey and representatives from the SeaLab will be there with
all the plants you can handle, but even just an hour of planting and
weeding will be a big help. Wear your Heart Park t-shirts if you have
one. A strong showing will raise our
visibility and help out a great program!
That's enough for now, but next month I'll talk
about how Madrona Marsh happened, and the wonderful people I met there last
week. They faced impossible odds too, and I invite everyone to pull in
(plenty of parking) and check it out one day. Its a relaxing stroll
through our natural history, just behind Del Amo shopping center.
Bill
Brand
President
South Bay Parkland
Conservancy
PO Box
7000-408
Redondo Beach, CA
90277
310-809-4405