TOMAS O'GRADY
SHORT ESSAYS
FRIENDS OF LA ROCHA ENDORSE O’GRADY
Contact: Alexa Iles Skarpelos Friends of La Rocha co-chair Phone: 323.469.4977 Mobile: 310.497.3982 Email: alexa@mediaart.com
| THE FRIENDS OF LA ROCHA TRAIL RECOMMEND TOMAS O’GRADY |
| TOMAS O’GRADY IS A REAL FRIEND TO THOSE WHO WANT TO PRESERVE ACCESSIBLE GREEN SPACE IN LA CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 |
| Current LA City Council Member Tom LaBonge never misses an opportunity to speak about the success of his pet project to “Save the Peak.” But many CD4 residents were disheartened to find out at what cost. |
| LaBonge committed twenty years worth of the $40 annual assessment that residents pay towards protecting and preserving accessible green space in our neighborhoods to the $12.5 million purchase price of the land around the iconic Hollywood sign. When approached in the months prior to the Peak deal deadline about supporting another, smaller effort, to preserve a nature trail in the Hollywood Hills, LaBonge claimed that there wasn’t a dime of city money that he could contribute. Really? |
| While both of LaBonge’s opponents have publicly challenged this claim, it was Tomas O’Grady who went beyond political posturing and sprung into action to become a REAL friend of the La Rocha Trail. He understands the importance of local and accessible open space in an increasingly dense urban environment. |
| “For a number of years now, in the Los Feliz and Silver Lake area, I have both advocated for and taken action towards creating small parks close to people. Griffith Park, for example, is a huge, urban wilderness. What we need now more than ever in this city is to have small parks close to people.” |
| In response to a letter (attached) written to Council Member LaBonge, and cc’d to his challengers, O’Grady immediately contacted the Friends of La Rocha Trail and familiarized himself with the project. |
| Within 24 hours, O’Grady contacted the owner/developer of the string of lots along the trail and was able to negotiate both a price and timeline that will allow for fundraising efforts to be successful. |
| The Friends of La Rocha Trail, and other grassroots groups who are working to make Los Angeles a more livable city, have a friend in Tomas O’Grady. |
