The Los Angeles River and Songs of the L.A. River Project

The Los Angeles River and Songs of the L.A. River Project

An appropriate song for the Los Angeles River might be “Cry Me a River,” given its unfortunate history, but by the end of this month L.A.’s cement channel will be singing a new song. Young musicians between the ages of 6 and 18 can grab a chance at creating that new anthem by entering the Songs of the L.A. River Project competition. Songs must be submitted by April 22. Get more information or enter the Songs of the L.A. River Project competition online here . The top selected artists will perform their songs live with Ozomatli, L.A.’s homegrown band, at the L.A. River Day of Service River Jamz Concert. Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and the Friends of the Los Angeles River   (FoLAR), will celebrate Ozomatli Day  celebrating and recognizing the fifteenth year of the LA based, Grammy-award winning band, Ozomatli. They will implement the Mayor’s “We Serve L.A.” volunteer campaign and the 22nd annual FoLAR Great L.A. River CleanUp / La Gran Limpieza. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 30th between 9:00 a.m. and noon, and includes a number of organizations and individuals who will assist in the clean up of 20 sites along the 51-mile river. The clean-up efforts will culminate with the concert, which begins at 12:30 p.m. at Rio de Los Angeles State Park, 1900 North San Fernando Road in Glassell Park.

Rio de Los Angeles State Park

View Larger Map Freed from the trash that gets dumped or washes into the river, the L.A. River just might forget that, in 1989, a State Assemblyman proposed turning it into a truck freeway. “Over our dead bodies,” FoLAR said, and took on the struggle of building momentum for the river’s revitalization. Those efforts paid off in July of 2010 when the river was awarded Protection under the Clean Water Act. Previously considered a flood control channel and not a navigable river, the river did not qualify for federal funding to remove pollutants or to be restored for recreational use. With the new designation in place, the river has a lot to sing about. Protection under the Clean Water Act will allow for a new look. Plans to remove the concrete liners are in the works and, using modern technology, the river will be able to provide both flood protection and natural habitat for the couple dozen species of birds and fish that already live there, as well as a riparian recreation paradise for Angelenos. For more information on Silver Lake and buying or selling property in  Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, and surrounding areas, contact me directly at 213-215-4758 or check out LApropertySolutions.com Jenny Durling Broker Associate L.A. Property Solutions 213-215-4758 info@LApropertySolutions.com LApropertySolutions.com Copyright © *The Los Angeles River and Songs of the L.A. River Project*