I am very excited that the process to welcome the Los Angeles Rams year-round practice facility/headquarters to the West Valley has officially begun. Last week they filed their initial plans with the Planning Department. Right now we are helping bring our City family to the table to ensure their review gets rolling so the Rams can call Warner Center home as soon as possible.
This new project will be located on the old Anthem parking lot off Canoga and Erwin. It will be very similar to the site they have been operating for the past few years at Cal Lutheran with several large football fields with a network of temporary modular structures. And to be clear, this will be their year-round practice facility. The beautiful So-Fi Stadium will continue to be their home for games- this Warner Center site will be where they practice, train, and have offices. Unlike a stadium that is open to the public, this practice facility will have little to no traffic, noise or other negative impacts on the surrounding community.
Over the coming months, as this project moves forward, the Rams and my staff will continue to meet with community groups to share their proposal and address any issues or questions that may arise. I’m looking forward to welcoming such a storied NFL franchise to the West Valley.
Last week, Councilmember Blumenfield led the City in celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month at City Hall with a Council presentation and unveiling of the “Being Deborah” exhibit, a showcase of Jewish women who created positive change in Los Angeles. The exhibit will be on display in front of the City Controller’s office at City Hall East until the end of June.
The Jewish community has helped shape this City in so many ways from its politics to its cultural institutions, and Blumenfield was proud to bring folks together to appreciate its collective heritage. A special thanks to Adeena Bleich, Special Advisor Ron Galperin, and Deputy Chief of Staff John Popoch, for putting this event together and all who joined to honor Jewish Americans who helped form the fabric of American history, culture, and society. Los Angeles is home to people from all backgrounds and all parts of the world, and these heritage celebrations help bring Angelenos together for cultural understanding and mutual respect, which is especially needed during these times when the public discourse has been peppered with divisiveness, racism, and anti-Semitism.
Each year, Valley Cultural Foundation not only puts together a great 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza, but they also host free movies and concerts at Warner Ranch Park throughout the summer. Councilmember Blumenfield is always proud to partner with them on these important community endeavors. Each event brings together the community to enjoy local food trucks, vendors and entertainment. Team Blumenfield has a booth at almost every event, so feel free to stop by to say hello or with any questions as well.
During the month of June, we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and recognize the progress we have made toward equality, but also recommit to ensuring everyone, no matter who they love or how they identify, can live free from hate and discrimination. To kickoff PRIDE in the City of Los Angeles, Councilmember Blumenfield joined his colleagues for a special Council Presentation, led by Councilwoman Traci Park, who dedicated the City’s festivities in honor of Michael Owens, Blumenfield’s late District Director. Michael was a champion for the LGBTQ community and was passionate about embracing young LGBTQ people, especially young people of color who may not have been accepted by their families. More information on LA Pride festivities can be found here.
Beginning on July 1st, METRO will be introducing fare capping and the more you ride, the more you save. METRO riders will never pay more than $5 in a day or $18 within seven days which means Metro 1-Day, 7-Day and 30-Day passes will no longer be sold. For more information, please click here.
Los Angeles Public Library invites everyone to “June Jubilee: A Celebration of Black Excellence” on Saturday, June 10, at Central Library in downtown LA. A traditional African Drum Procession through the adjacent Maguire Gardens plaza to the library entrance will kick off the event and will be followed by a special Libation Ceremony, choir performance, invocation and remarks from special guests. When the library opens at 9:30AM the drummers will lead the audience into the library for wealth of activities for the entire family, including a scavenger hunt, storytelling, crafts for kids, games, tours, workshops, live entertainment, presentations, health and wellness programs, financial literacy information, genealogy workshops and more. Please join the library for this very special day-long celebration. For more information, visit https://www.lapl.org/june-jubilee.
The celebration continues! Councilmember Blumenfield was happy to join the 2023 US National Academic Decathlon champs and unveil the "2023" addition in front of El Camino Real Charter High School.
Councilmember Blumenfield and his dad, an Air Force vet, joined many community members at the 31st Annual Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade to honor all of the brave service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Historic West Valley
This week's undated photo is from the Security Pacific National Bank Collection of architect, Albert C. Martin, showing off plans for Warner Ranch, an urban center, in Woodland Hills now known as Warner Center.