There was a time when Runyon Canyon Park was primarily visited by locals, a real wilderness oasis within the hills overlooking Hollywood’s vibrant lights.
However in the previous few many years, it’s turn out to be one in every of Los Angeles’ hottest climbing locations with an estimated 2 million guests a yr. And but, hundreds of tourists every day don’t have any entry to a close-by lavatory.
That’s set to quickly change.
Metropolis officers are within the strategy of bringing a pre-fabricated restroom to the park, an almost $1-million mission that must be full by subsequent summer season.
Whereas the mission was formally accredited final yr — after years of debate, surveys and public conferences — the deliberate lavatory mission continues to attract concern from locals. In the previous few months, there’s been renewed criticism of the mission from Hollywood Hills’ residents, each due to its price ticket and probably damaging repercussions.
A bunch known as the Runyon Canyon Guardians is now calling for officers to halt the toilet mission, calling it “fiscally irresponsible” and a public security obstacle.
Anastasia Mann, president of the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council, mentioned many residents who dwell close to the mission location are involved that the everlasting restrooms will convey unwelcome smells, entice homeless individuals and additional improve foot visitors, which may elevate the danger of crime, fires — a current concern within the park — and add extra environmental pressure throughout its 160 acres.
Locals have labored laborious to guard the park and preserve it from changing into too overrun and too commercialized, Mann mentioned, which is why so many have lengthy opposed loos. For years, the neighborhood council would ballot members and located the overwhelming majority have been in opposition to including loos.
“Principally, all people supported no loos for fairly a very long time,” Mann mentioned. However over time, she mentioned metropolis leaders pushed ahead the plan for restrooms — with plenty of exterior assist — approving the mission in December 2024.
And regardless of renewed opposition, town hasn’t wavered on its plan.
“The Division of Recreation and Parks has acquired requests for years from hikers and park guests for restrooms to be put in at Runyon Canyon Park,” a spokesperson for Mayor Karen Bass’ wrote in an announcement. “The Metropolis of Los Angeles is dedicated to making sure all of L.A.’s parks are protected, clear, accessible, and satisfying for Angelenos and guests alike.”
Bass’ workplace identified that the mission was accredited by town’s Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners after important neighborhood outreach and isn’t funded by the parks division’s basic fund. The toilet mission’s $961,125 funds is funded by park charges and deferred upkeep funds, in line with parks division data.
“Our workplace stays deeply dedicated to making sure the security of Runyon Canyon Park and the neighborhoods that encompass it,” a spokesperson for Councilmember Nithya Raman mentioned in an announcement. Raman represents the neighborhood that features Runyon Canyon Park.
Adjustments to Runyon Canyon Park have lengthy drawn pushback from neighbors, sufficient in order that residents in 2016 halted development of a controversial basketball court docket within the park. The town additionally confronted appreciable backlash in 2006 whereas establishing the park’s first parking zone.
For some time, Mann mentioned concern across the lavatory mission had pale, however the “hullabaloo” resurfaced because the mission began to maneuver ahead lately. A spokesperson for L.A. Parks didn’t reply to questions in regards to the mission timeline, however a metropolis official mentioned it should be accomplished by subsequent summer season.
“Now they’re truly beginning to do it, so the uproar has restarted,” Mann mentioned. “There’s a brand new marketing campaign in opposition to these loos.”
She mentioned opponents are additionally upset that the brand new loos received’t be constructed on the web site of exiting short-term loos close to the Muholland Drive entrance however as a substitute will probably be close to the Fuller Avenue entrance. And because the metropolis faces important budgetary shortfalls, the mission appears extreme, Mann mentioned.
“We’ve been working this park for a complete very long time with out loos — is that this a serious funds merchandise we’d like proper now?” Mann mentioned.
However metropolis officers mentioned the funding is “time-limited,” primarily resulting from federal funding guidelines.
And given the extent of tourists on the park, it’s a wanted mission, mentioned Don Andres, the president of the Buddies of Runyon Canyon Basis, which raises cash for the park.
“With that quantity of individuals, you should have a restroom facility — should you don’t, you realize what individuals will do,” Andres mentioned. “It’s about preserving the park and offering dignity for its customers.”
