This past July 7th, 23 local bloggers raised their collective voice to protest the construction of soccer fields in our watershed. Our voices joined the chorus of other citizens and we were heard; instead of two soccer fields, now only one is proposed. Not perfect, but a damned sight better.
For our efforts, the Hahamongna Bloggers will be awarded the Best Advocacy award at this Thursday's Arroyo Verde Awards.
Quoting the Arroyo Seco Foundation's website: "The Arroyo Verde (Green Arroyo) Awards are the most prestigious local environmental awards. The awards recognize those who have made a valuable contribution to protecting and improving the Arroyo Seco watershed and our local communities during the past year."
I'm proud and pleased that we've won an award. Even more, I'm thrilled that we joined forces to speak together and help protect our beautiful watershed.
Our voices may be required again in the future, but for now we get to congratulate ourselves. If you were a Hahamongna Blogger and I haven't sent you the information, email me! Let me send you the info so you can come to the party!
What a lovely, peaceful spot. This is a beautifully composed photo, Petrea.
ReplyDeleteWow! Will they have cake?
ReplyDeleteSeconded on the composition.
ReplyDeleteJ: thanks for the paper. Will give it my full attention soon.
Tell us what we won, Don Pardo!
ReplyDeleteWV: inswag. Maybe we won some swag?
Sorry I won't be able to attend. J can have my cake!
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's the matter of that other soccer field to get rid of.
ReplyDeleteDo you mean to tell me that this beautiful spot is to be disturbed for a soccer field??? That's purely wrong, and I just don't get it. Glad you eliminated one at least.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about cake. Green tea, perhaps? As for swag, I doubt it, but we do win the right to feel like we did something important.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, this particular spot is not slated for a soccer field. Pictured is a watershed basin, used by Pasadena Water and Power for moving and storing water. Sometimes it's empty, sometimes it's muddy--not always this pretty! The park changes throughout the year, that's part of its magic.
Beautiful foto, good blogger work, but I'm still left to ask: what's wrong with this picture??
ReplyDeleteA small victory is still a victory. Once a piece of nature is gone, it is gone forever. That is the sad part. I'm still searching for the "silver lining."
ReplyDeleteHopefully the award will energize us to keep fighting.
ReplyDeleteKeep asking, Cafe, it's important.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Steve.
Susan: wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to?
I hope all you amazing bloggers who contributed will come - it's at Kidspace, which is a really cool venue with lots of easy parking.
ReplyDeleteThere IS something wrong with this picture, Cafe Observer, though probably not in the sense you mean. That lake usually empties INTO the river, but the eroded watershed dumped so much silt that it raised the river bed until the water ran INTO the lake instead. And as it was the only lake in Hahamongna this year, it made the water birds and toads very happy!
CONGRATULATIONS!! And may you all continue to be successful!!!
ReplyDeleteCake? did someone say cake???
We're fighting the good fight! Congratulations to everyone involved.
ReplyDeleteI took this photo last spring. At the center left you can see a silt delta beginning to form where mud pours in through an underground pipe. That grew to much larger proportions as the season wore on and more silt poured into this small basin.
ReplyDeleteNow this is what I'm talkin' about...how can anyone even THINK of putting in soccer fields in a watershed basin??? How many times will they have to re-do the fields???
ReplyDeleteAn interesting photo..needs only a bench to sit upon and enjoy a scene that might possibly disappear..
ReplyDeleteBeautiful view with foliage shot with gold.
ReplyDeleteA friend said he "wasn't aware of any shortage of soccer fields" in Pasadena. What would one more field provide that the other gazillion or two are not? Perhaps $$ saved could be put towards dredging?
wv:spodom. Try saying Speedo three times with your mouth full of mashed potatoes.
Nice piece, picture! And Bellis should have her name on the guest list -- though not a blogger herself (yet!), she came up with the Blog to Save Haha idea.
ReplyDeleteBellis is coming, aren't you, Bellis? You'd better be there.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the County's sediment removal project:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/removal/
Congratulations to you and the other bloggers, Petrea.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations--wonderful work.
ReplyDeletewv: undisist
I was glad to participate the day after...and add to all your incredible and meaningful posts. It is a good feeling to be able to influence public opinion. I'm very proud.
ReplyDeleteI'm coming. What's the dress code? It's going to be festive with refreshments - I think we'll all have a great time. Come, bloggers, one and all. And that includes you, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Ann.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jean.
Steve, please do come! Here's the link to RSVP
http://www.arroyoseco.org/avawards2010.htm
The awards are open to the public.
If they have cake, I hope it's in the shape of a soccer field. Then we can have our victory & eat it, too.
ReplyDeleteMost big cakes are, J.
ReplyDeleteI would have spewed J+P if I'd been drinking something!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't ever change, Chieftess.
ReplyDeleteHope to make it. Had a calendaring snafu and went by yesterday. There was no cake.
ReplyDeleteIf you come tomorrow I promise to be there, though I can't promise cake.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, ya'll. http://templecitydailyphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/Hahamongna%20Park
ReplyDeleteOK, I left the wrong link. Here was my Hahamongna post, the day after.
ReplyDeletehttp://templecitydailyphoto.blogspot.com/search?q=Hahamongna
Thanks, Steve, and it's a great post. You share in the award, you know.
ReplyDelete