Cedillo and the Lincoln Park parking lot sell out to Plaza patrons

Reckless impunity? Blithe ignorance? Malevolent entitlement? What should we call the latest wrinkle in the losing battle against car drivers illegally driving into, and through, Lincoln Park to park next to Plaze de la Raza?

Gilbert Cedillo, aka “Roakill Gil”, friend to motordom, enemy of parks, enemy to children, safe streets, clean air, and enemy to natural beauty has found the money to “improve” the despoiled dirt patch outside Plaza de la Raza in Lincoln Park by paving it over and converting it into a parking lot.

This is being done despite the massive over supply of free public parking surrounding Plaza de la Raza. In a unique “drive-thru art” system, patrons of the Plaza (and anyone else for that matter) can hang a right off Mission and cruise through the park at will in their multi-ton vehicles. Is there any other park in Los Angeles that allows this type of insane traffic mixing in the heart of what was once a car-free environment?

Lincoln Park suffers from a great number of problems. Pedestrian, and disabled, access is a big one, and one that could be fixed for a few thousand dollars in paint and concrete. Bike parking is nonexistent. The grounds are a mess of gopher holes. The place could use a good place-making makeover. The pool has been closed for 5+ years. The boathouse is closed forever. The carousel, once restored, is now shuttered for good. The Parks Department funds lots of excellent arts, athletics, and cultural programs but never advertises them (several flyers in a bulletin board outside their park office not withstanding). In other words, there are other dire, pressing, needs fundamental to Lincoln Park fulfilling its mission as a park. These needs rank much higher than adding more parking in the middle of the park.

Welcome to Gil Cedillo’s LA CD1! When he’s not actively stopping life-saving road diets the councilman is spending thousands of tax dollars to facilitate patrons of Plaza de la Raza in their abuse of the grounds at Lincoln Park.

When the chairman of the board at Plaza de la Raza, one Freddy Ceja, was Cedillo’s former communication deputy I suppose it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this is happening. You can call Cedillo’s office at 213-473-7001 to lodge your complaint.