WEST HOLLYWOOD—On February 6, the city of West Hollywood announced in a news release that it will be holding public meetings regarding the Phase 1 Improvements Project for William S. Hart Park & Off-Leash Dog Park (Hart Park), which will include upgrades throughout the park to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design and the California Building Code, Chapter 11B, and improvements to the off-leash dog area, parking lot, and park lighting and security.
Community members are invited to learn more and provide public comment at one of three upcoming meetings during the month of February:
-Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission Meeting on Wednesday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the West Hollywood City Hall Community Meeting Room, 1st Floor, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard.
-Older Adults Advisory Board Meeting on Wednesday, February 26, at 2 p.m. at the West Hollywood City Hall Community Meeting Room, 1st Floor, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard.
-Disabilities Advisory Board Meeting on Wednesday, February 26, at 6 p.m. at the Plummer Park Community Center, Rooms 5 and 6, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard.
The Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission, the Older Adults Advisory Board, and the Disabilities Advisory Board will each receive updates on the progress of the Hart Park Phase 1 Improvements Project design, hear thoughts from the community, and get the opportunity to provide feedback to staff and the consultant team. The team will then incorporate Board and Commission recommendations into a final schematic design followed by an update to and review by the West Hollywood City Council.
At its meeting on Monday, April 3, 2023, the City Council reviewed the results of initial community outreach, Board and Commission recommendations, and a conceptual improvement plan for Hart Park. At its meeting on Monday, September 16, 2024, the City Council approved a professional services contract for the design and engineering of the planned improvements and directed staff to explore either the continued use of wood chips in a newly reconfigured and redesigned off-leash play area or other better performing natural surfacing options.
Key planned improvements at Hart Park in Phase 1 include:
-Upgrades to all pedestrian path-of-travel routes and site accessibility barrier-removal improvements in locations as identified in a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) Report;
-Redesign of the parking area to be fully accessible and multi-functional; and
-Reconfiguration of the off-leash dog area into one small and one large play area in accordance with the results of the initial community outreach process and previous recommendations from the Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission; Older Adults Advisory Board; and Disabilities Advisory Board.
For additional details about the Hart Park Improvements Project visit www.weho.org/city-government/city-manager/capital-projects.
For more information about Hart Park Improvements Project design and construction contact Michael Barker, West Hollywood Project Architect, at (323) 848-6483 or at mbarker@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.
By Trevor