Lake Corralitas and a familiar mudslide returned on the south end of the property. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Friday, April 1, 2022
Corralitas Red Car Lion Safari Park*
Laughs from the past...April Fool's Post 2015
Photo: Shawnda Thomas Faveau, March 18, 2015. Humans will have a chance to interact with lions for a hefty fee, once they've signed a waiver of liability.
There may yet be hope to save the Red Car Property as a wildlife preserve. This afternoon, the mayor, along with property owner, in partnership with the zoo, announced a pride of African lions would be relocated to the Corralitas Red Car Property as part of the ongoing privatization of the zoo.
The mayor said this was just another creative zoning technique and a part of ongoing efforts to preserve the open space in our hillsides west of the river while also revitalizing the river. He's proposed the Exotic Endangered Species Breeding and Preservation Overlay Zone (EESBPOZ) which would include Griffith & Elysian Parks, the river, all unbuilt hillside parcels and K-zoned parcels (horsekeeping parcels) in Atwater.
The mayor said, "The proposed EESBPOZ will give residents a chance to see exotic species right in their own backyards. We expect to obtain a herd of giraffe next to help with tree trimming on those steep slopes on the Red Car Property."
Why not a jaguar preserve in Elysian Valley; Amur leopards on the northeast slopes of Elysian Park; cayman in the river? The possibilities are limitless. City Planning already approved the Komodo Dragon Preserve on Corralitas.
Parents at the local preschool are not happy about having to run the gauntlet of maneaters as they park on Corralitas Drive and walk their kids through Red Car Canyon to school. The mayor responded, "Think of it as a teachable moment. Not only will the parents and children bond with each other in a potential life and death situation, they'll gain a healthy respect for exotic non-native wildlife, all while working on their fitness."
*DISCLAIMER: This post should NOT be used as proof of anything more than April Foolishness. Photo by Shawnda Thomas Faveau was shot on the Corralitas Red Car Property, March 18, 2015. It is a large Golden Retriever dog with a "lion" haircut.
There may yet be hope to save the Red Car Property as a wildlife preserve. This afternoon, the mayor, along with property owner, in partnership with the zoo, announced a pride of African lions would be relocated to the Corralitas Red Car Property as part of the ongoing privatization of the zoo.
The mayor said this was just another creative zoning technique and a part of ongoing efforts to preserve the open space in our hillsides west of the river while also revitalizing the river. He's proposed the Exotic Endangered Species Breeding and Preservation Overlay Zone (EESBPOZ) which would include Griffith & Elysian Parks, the river, all unbuilt hillside parcels and K-zoned parcels (horsekeeping parcels) in Atwater.
The mayor said, "The proposed EESBPOZ will give residents a chance to see exotic species right in their own backyards. We expect to obtain a herd of giraffe next to help with tree trimming on those steep slopes on the Red Car Property."
Why not a jaguar preserve in Elysian Valley; Amur leopards on the northeast slopes of Elysian Park; cayman in the river? The possibilities are limitless. City Planning already approved the Komodo Dragon Preserve on Corralitas.
Parents at the local preschool are not happy about having to run the gauntlet of maneaters as they park on Corralitas Drive and walk their kids through Red Car Canyon to school. The mayor responded, "Think of it as a teachable moment. Not only will the parents and children bond with each other in a potential life and death situation, they'll gain a healthy respect for exotic non-native wildlife, all while working on their fitness."
*DISCLAIMER: This post should NOT be used as proof of anything more than April Foolishness. Photo by Shawnda Thomas Faveau was shot on the Corralitas Red Car Property, March 18, 2015. It is a large Golden Retriever dog with a "lion" haircut.
Friday, December 31, 2021
Red Car Property: Iconic California Black Walnut Tree Crashed Down
In a fitting end to 2021, a huge protected native California Black Walnut Tree, growing on the Lake View Ave side of the Red Car Property, fell victim to this week's deluge. As the species evolved to do, it survived decades of the drought/deluge pattern of Southern California weather. It was likely too much rain, too fast, on a steep slope, combined with run-off from the built hillside environment, to keep the beloved tree upright.
Oddly, I have admired the tree for three decades, but have surprisingly few photos of just this large tree. The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.
The native tree was so large and among a long row of large trees, it was often difficult to single out just one tree.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2010. The healthy Black Walnut thrived behind a home at one of the lowest points of elevation of Lake View Ave. It took advantage of significant hillside run-off. It was couple of houses north of Rose Scharlin Nursery School.
A previous owner of the Lake View Ave house told me, the tree was a big reason they bought the house. Despite knowing the tree was on the Red Car Property, they took care of it. They even hired a certified arborist/tree trimmer to maintain it, because the tree brought value to not only their home, but their lives.
Upon seeing today's photos, several neighbors had the same reaction as I did, "Noooooo!"
The native Black Walnut towered over the trail on the Red Car Property.
The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one. We mourn the loss of another iconic native tree.
Thursday, July 15, 2021
Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Paul Landacre Cabin & Grounds, LA City Historic Cultural Landmark #839
Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.
In 2005, the City declared Paul Landacre's Cabin and grounds, at 2006 El Moran, a Cultural Historic Landmark. Landacre's work was influenced by and often depicted the neighborhood in his work.
Paul Landacre wrote about his life in the Echo Park hills in 1958, not so different from those who live in the Semi-Tropic Spiritualists' Tract today:
"You see, art is practiced here along with various other concerns -
pruning trees, repairing the roof, watching and feeding wildlife and so
on. Of course, other artists live on wooded hillsides, too, and so do
other people, and it must be conceded that to some of us this kind of
environment is not only valuable, but absolutely necessary - a degree of
seclusion, the life of growing things, awareness that we are a part of
nature."
Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.
Landacre carved a petrel, his signature bird into the roof vents on each side of his house. He used the petrel as his trademark on his work, often in place of his signature.
Landacre struggled with physical disabilities most of his life. He identified with the petrel since they learn to fly by jumping off a cliff; falling into the raging sea; hurling themselves off the peaks of waves until they learn to fly. They crash into the rocks and waves, beat up, but they learn to fly.
*This post was originally published November 7, 2007, on our short-lived sister blog, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. In an effort to connect neighbors across the 2 Freeway in our shared issues & development battles, we folded the Semi Tropic blog into the Corralitas Red Car Property Blog in 2009.
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Riverside Place: Dangerous Dog Alert
Thursday evening, a neighbor and responsible Pit Bull owner was walking her dog, on-leash, accompanied by her 8 year old son. As they approached the southern end of Riverside Place, 2 pit bulls broke out of their front gate and attacked the on-leash dog directly in front of the Pit Bulls' house. The street where the incident occurred is about 12-14’ wide with no sidewalks.
Even after the owners came out of the house trying to restrain their dogs, one broke free and charged down the street after the woman walking briskly away with her still on-leash dog. With lightning speed, it attacked the dog a second time (verified on video from a neighbor). Neither the woman nor her son were bitten, but their dog required emergency surgery. She filed a report with the LA City Dept of Animal Services.
Similar Behavior Pattern
Last
week’s incident was so similar to the August 2015 attack, when 2 off-leash Pit Bulls, from the same house on Riverside Place, attacked my on-leash dog. Once the owners “had
a hold of their dogs,” they broke free and attacked another woman’s dog, 75' down the path in Red Car Canyon. We both reported the incident to Animal Services, no action was taken.
Small Dog Killed in 2020
After the neighbor in Thursday’s incident posted a warning to Next Door, she was contacted by a Red Car Property neighbor who’s Chihuahua was killed by one of the same Riverside Place owner's Pit Bulls in April 2020. At the time, the dangerous Pit Bull was on-leash and dragged its owner across Lake View Ave, attacking the on-leash Chihuahua. The small dog died at the animal hospital as a result of the attack. (Note: I’d heard this story last year, but could not verify it.)
Again, a report was made to Animal Services and no action taken.
I know there was another incident in the past few years on Riverside Place, where the same Pit Bulls broke out of their gate and attacked an on-leash small dog, walked by a woman pushing a baby stroller. The neighbor who told me of the incident, also implored the woman to make a report to Animal Services because this is an unacceptable recurrence.
In fact, all the nearby neighbors have multiple stories of the dangerous dogs from the same house on Riverside Place. We've documented incidents with Animal Services. Several Riverside Place neighbors have told me, "Those dogs have terrorized the neighborhood for years."
Make no mistake, it is terrifying to be on the receiving end of a Pit Bull attack. Most people say, "I just won't walk there anymore." This is not a practical solution. It can happen anywhere to anyone. These dogs have incredible speed and strength. I often witnessed the same 2 dogs racing down the Red Car Property, toward the 2 Freeway, frequently with no owner in sight (prior to, and after the attack on my dog).
You are responsible for your dog at all times, both on and off your property.
Not all Pit Bulls are bad. I know many well behaved pit bulls with responsible owners. You need to do your homework before you adopt any dog, especially if you are adopting a dog built breed built like a tank. They are not suitable for everyone.
I wrote an extensive piece with lessons learned in the attack on my dog, with useful links to resources on preparing yourself as a Pit Bull owner and what to do to break up an attack: Corralitas Red Car Property: August 27, 2015
If you or your dog are attacked by another dog in the City of Los Angeles, report it to LA Department of Animal Services.
