Hello Everyone,
Before I tell you about Madrona Marsh, this weekend is
the annual Riviera Village Festival. Every year at the end of June,
Redondo Beach closes Catalina Ave and Avenue I in the Village and hosts booths
with food, art and entertainment - similar to the Manhattan Hometown
Fair. The South Bay Parkland Conservancy will have a booth just
east of Catalina Avenue on Avenida Del Norte. Stop by if you find
yourself wondering around at the Festival. We'll have all sorts of
photos and history about this site, newly designed t-shirts, and a coloring
game for the kids (Color the Park!) that you'll be able to divert their
attention with, and they can send to their Mayor and City Council. It
lasts all weekend - 10:00 a.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday.
This month I want to talk about
Madrona Marsh! An oasis of our natural history tucked behind
Del Amo mall - complete with easy walking trails where one can
view hundreds of different species of birds, plants and wildlife.
The history of how it was saved and not built into even more condos is
sprinkled with local activism including a recall petition for the entire
City Council of Torrance, successful fundraising, and a long term commitment
from residents like you to save something special for our future
generations.
Their story is a familiar one to those of us who have
learned how areas like Bolsa Chica, Ballona Wetlands and hopefully
the AES site, are eventually restored for public use: developers want to build hundreds or
even thousands of condos - public responds with referendums, initiatives and
lawsuits - years pass by as zoning is reviewed - money is raised - the
state and county get involved after years of dogged persistence - the
people finally get their way.
Here's an excerpt about their history from the web page of the
Friends of Madrona Marsh.
Creation of the Friends of Madrona
Marsh
In 1972, a meeting of more than 50 people was held in the old City Hall
Council Chambers to organize a support group for the preservation of a
potential wildlife park in Torrance as identified in the
Griffenhagen-Kroeger Report in February 1971.
In September 20,
1973 , a
group of people attended the meeting called by City to discuss community
involvement in saving the wildlife area. The group was called then the Friends
of Madrona Pond. Sam Suit was elected president of the group, Katy Geissert,
then a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, was on the first board
of directors. Grace Lear took over Sam Suit's position when he moved to
Australia . From then on, the Friends of
Madrona Marsh have continued lobbying to obtain the dedication of 35 acres for
the marsh. Venora Lee, Dr. David Morafka and Edith Simplaar wrote a grant
proposal for State License Plate funds -- $1.5 million to be earmarked for the
Madrona Marsh. On June 1975, Friends of Madrona Marsh paid $1,000 for a study
to be made by graduate students at the Marsh. In September 1976, the "Wildlife
Habitat Study" was completed by the graduate students and the Audubon Society.
A consultant was hired from the Audubon Society to produce a site development
map, interpretive building design and external renditions for Madrona
Marsh.
In the early 1980's the Torrance Investment Company, a partnership of Watt
Homes, Anderson Properties, Sherl Curci and Santa Fe Energy (landowner),
became seriously interested in developing the property north of Sepulveda
Blvd. , between Madrona Ave. and Crenshaw Blvd. which included the Madrona
Marsh land. In September 25,
1980 ,
Watt Industries proposal to the Friends of Madrona Marsh offering to sell them
15 acres with land value of $400,000 an acre. In December, the developers
withdrew their offer and thereafter, offered to "move" Madrona Marsh to
Columbia Park . When Park del Amo Development
plan presented their plans to the City Council in February 1982, 350
supporters of the Madrona Marsh swamped the meeting however, the City Council
favored the developers. In May 4,
1982 , the
Friends of Madrona Marsh, the League of Women Voters and homeowners' groups
gathered 14,000 signatures (more than double the amount required) to petition
the City to stop the development. While signatures were being solicited for a
ballot referendum, Betty Shaw, who took over Grace Lear's position as the
President, with a committee, negotiated with the developers, and an agreement
was reached before the referendum was filed.
In
November 14,
1984 ,
when the dedication ceremony was completed, it was discovered that the deed
contained a reversionary clause that transfers the land back to the developers
if the land was not used for a nature center. Friends of Madrona Marsh sued
for Fee Simple Deed and after two years City of
Torrance receive title to the land and
Madrona Marsh is saved in perpetuity!
So you can
see, the residents of the South Bay have a history of saving and protecting
some beloved areas. Stop by the Madorna Marsh sometime and see what a
beautiful place it is! There's a Nature Center across the street where
one can learn all about the natural history of the site and what you'll find
there. I suggest a visit here before you go for a stroll so you know
what to look for, and know what you're looking at when you see
it.
Like most
South Bay residents, I had always heard about Madrona Marsh, rooted for
the residents when they were fighting for it - even went to the Madrona
Car Wash but had never taken the time to really explore what all the fighting
was about. Don't wait 40 years like I did. Stop by on your
way to the Del Amo mall next time, you'll be glad you did. You
may never make it to the mall.
http://www.friendsofmadronamarsh.com/
Bill
Brand
President
South Bay Parkland
Conservancy
PO Box
7000-408
Redondo Beach, CA
90277
310-809-4405