Another spin of the 12-month wheel, and it was time for the annual Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park dinner on Sunday. As always, the ballroom at Grace Simons lodge was packed, all the tables appeared to be full, the garden filled with chatting friends and neighbors, activists, the whole assortment. The pond water remains the same mysterious deep, bright turquoise color it was last year and the year before. Councilman Ed Reyes was there, among other pols.

On Monday, I mentioned what a nice time it had been to a friend (yes, Chicken Corner does have friends who do not live in Echo Park), and she asked "what does Elysian Park need to be saved from?" Then she guessed, "Dodger Stadium?"

Try again!

Try a tin-can lid on top of the reservoir. Try an 888-unit residential development on the property that Barlow Hospital owns. No, I wasn't/am not kidding. The picture below is what is proposed. June 11 is the deadline for public comment for the draft environmental impact report.

Eastsider has more details: here.

Around the turn of the century, there were people who tried to turn Elysian Park into an oil field. That was stopped at great effort. Keeping this park a park requires constant effort. Which is one of the reasons why the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park is aptly named. Or maybe it could be called, "The Citizens Committee to Save Us From Ourselves." Nah, too long.