Hazard Park
Encyclopedia
Hazard Park is a 26.5 acres (10.7 ha) city park in Los Angeles
, California
, USA. The park was named after Henry T. Hazard
, the 20th mayor of Los Angeles.
The park is abutted by County+USC Medical Center and the Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
.
A 2000-seat terraced grandstand
opened in 1911 in the park, as did "the largest and best fitted playgrounds", divided into sections for boys and for girls.
Beginning in 1962, a 1000-bed Veterans Administration
(VA) hospital was planned to replace the park. The VA had proposed exchanging 16.5 acres (6.7 ha) of park land for the 21.8 acres (8.8 ha) at the VA property near Westwood. This proposal was met with opposition organized through the Save Hazard Park Association, called the action "Robin Hood
ism in reverse", since parkland in a poor Latino community would be exchanged for parkland in wealthier West Los Angeles. In 1966, the City Parks Commission voted in favor of the exchange, with general manager of the Recreation and Parks Department calling it a "good deal for the city". In the same year, Mayor Sam Yorty and the city council approved the exchange. The Association brought an injunction against the city, but it was denied in 1968. By 1969, Yorty ceded to the protest, asking the city council to repeal the plan. The Los Angeles Times
said "the council and the mayor moved correctly, if belatedly", calling it a victory for the Association.
In May 1970, a celebration occurred at the park to celebrate the dropping of the eminent domain
suit. The celebration included local artist Leo Politi
, who had painted murals at the park during the protests.
In 2000, supporters lobbied for the inclusion of an adjacent 2 acre (0.809372 ha) section of wetlands to be included in the park. The efforts were led by the Save Hazard Park Association, which renamed to Friends of Hazard Park and Hazard Park Wetlands.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA. The park was named after Henry T. Hazard
Henry T. Hazard
Henry Thomas Hazard was the 20th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1889–1892.-Biography:Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Hazard graduated with the class of 1868 from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a doctor of law degree.He served as City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles for...
, the 20th mayor of Los Angeles.
The park is abutted by County+USC Medical Center and the Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School is a magnet senior high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District with a focus on serving students who plan to study in the healthcare field...
.
History
Named after Walt HazzardWalt Hazzard
Walter "Walt" Raphael Hazzard Jr. , also known as Mahdi Abdul-Rahman, was an American college, Olympic, and professional basketball player and college basketball coach...
A 2000-seat terraced grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
opened in 1911 in the park, as did "the largest and best fitted playgrounds", divided into sections for boys and for girls.
Beginning in 1962, a 1000-bed Veterans Administration
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
(VA) hospital was planned to replace the park. The VA had proposed exchanging 16.5 acres (6.7 ha) of park land for the 21.8 acres (8.8 ha) at the VA property near Westwood. This proposal was met with opposition organized through the Save Hazard Park Association, called the action "Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
ism in reverse", since parkland in a poor Latino community would be exchanged for parkland in wealthier West Los Angeles. In 1966, the City Parks Commission voted in favor of the exchange, with general manager of the Recreation and Parks Department calling it a "good deal for the city". In the same year, Mayor Sam Yorty and the city council approved the exchange. The Association brought an injunction against the city, but it was denied in 1968. By 1969, Yorty ceded to the protest, asking the city council to repeal the plan. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said "the council and the mayor moved correctly, if belatedly", calling it a victory for the Association.
In May 1970, a celebration occurred at the park to celebrate the dropping of the eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
suit. The celebration included local artist Leo Politi
Leo Politi
Leo Politi was an Italian-American artist and author who wrote and illustrated some 20 children's books, as well as Bunker Hill, Los Angeles , intended for adults...
, who had painted murals at the park during the protests.
In 2000, supporters lobbied for the inclusion of an adjacent 2 acre (0.809372 ha) section of wetlands to be included in the park. The efforts were led by the Save Hazard Park Association, which renamed to Friends of Hazard Park and Hazard Park Wetlands.
External links
- Hazard Park at the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks