“Kidslavia”
by Lorine Parks
What does Utopia look like to you? Do you imagine a paradise where cyclists glide carefree on smooth streets, and pedestrians walk on grassy paths?
For one day, Downey will be that perfect place. On Sunday May 1, courtesy of Metro Line, carbon-monoxide exuding, heat breathing, gas guzzling motor monsters will be banished from a 5.5 mile patchwork of streets. In their place, food booths, music, entertainment and games will greet citizens who will walk, amble, skate, bike, push a scooter or a stroller, roll in a wheelchair, ride a skateboard or rollerblade or jog.
No cars, from 10 am to 2 pm, will disturb the peace of the environment. No particulates of sulfur dioxide to penetrate sensitive lung tissue; no high blood-pressure inducing traffic jams, no tire skid marks, no close encounters of the automotive kind.
On hand to tell us about Downey’s First Annual Open Streets Day was the Interim Parks and Recreation Director from the City of Downey. She invited citizens to explore the City as they have never seen it before. The map for the closed streets, which will stretch from Firestone to Imperial, looks like this:
On the route you will find the Columbia Memorial Space Center and the Transit Depot for the Downey community buses. Shuttles will run to the auto-free area from Stonewood Center Mall. During this event, the city also will feature “Kidslavia,” a free family event with entertainment, food booths, carnival games, teen challenge, a Boy Scout Village, and information booths, all at the Discovery Sports Complex next to the Space Center.
The purpose of this event is to increase sustainable modes of transit and encourage first-time public transit use. “A sense of community should promote cultural resources and public health.” European cities already encourage non-reliance on cars, and use trains and trams and bicycles. Imagine marching bands one the main street, and grassy picnics.
Downey’s “Ride & Stride” Day is free, funded through the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Open Streets Grant Program, which seeks to increase opportunities for walking, biking, and public transit to help create a more mobile transportation system in the L.A. region, the spokesperson said. If you drive from home to the event, public parking will be available at several city parks and public lots. There also will be a shuttle service running in a continuous loop with drop-off locations along the route.
“Ride & Stride” is one out of eight open streets events that are projected to attract nearly half a million attendees collectively in the coming months, including one similar to ours on May 15 through Huntington Park, South Gate, Lynwood and Los Angeles.
How to participate? There will be food vendors; information booths for businesses and organizations; entertainments; All this activity needs sponsors and volunteers who will monitor the activities and run hydration stations. Counters are needed for surveys and logistics.
How will this event be promoted? By press releases in the Downey Patriot, handbills and posters. Information will be given out in the schools. Look on the Downey webpage in Facebook and other social media, such as Instagram and Twitter.
The Route: The event will take place on the following streets, moving from south to north: Columbia Way (South of Lakewood, North of Imperial); Imperial Hwy (East of Lakewood Blvd., West of Columbia Way); Alameda St. (East of Downey Ave., West of Lakewood Blvd.); Stewart & Gray (East of Downey Ave., West of Lakewood Blvd.); Lakewood (North of Imperial Hwy., South of Stewart & Gray); La Reina Ave. (East of Myrtle, West of Downey Ave.); 3rd St. (East of La Reina Ave., West of Downey Ave.).
Road Closures: There will be two types of road closures at this event, a "hard" closure and a "soft" closure. The "hard" closures will not be opened during the course of the event except for emergency vehicles. The "soft" closures will have timed openings. What this means is that if you reach a "soft" closure during the event, you will be asked to wait until the safest time for it to open for your crossing. Please be aware of the closure locations and plan accordingly between the hours of 10am and 2pm.
Look in the Downey Patriot for a complete list of the closures.
The City is encouraging everyone to come out on Sunday May 1, and see what a car-less city would be like. Utopia for a day.