8-4-2022, Councilmember Paul Krekorian with County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Metro Board chair Ara Najarian attend the 170 Fwy Soundwall Ribbon Cutting at 6226 Laurelgrove Ave., Valley Glen.
In August Neighborhood Council Valley Village Board members joined LA City Councilman Paul Krekorian, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Metro Board Chair Ara Jajarian and Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins to officially recognize the completion of Soundwall construction along 170 freeway on the north border of Valley Village. Board members representing NCVV at the August ribbon cutting ceremony included Daryl Baskin, Alice Hart, Suzanne Lewis, Ginny Hatfield, Paulette Stokes, and Tony Braswell.
Since the founding of NCVV in 2003, soundwalls have been on the top of the “to do” list for our community. “We’ve kept this as a priority issue every year since our first Board met in 2003” said NCVV President Tony Braswell. “The completion of this project is a credit to every Board member who has ever served and the tenacity of long time Board members like Ginny Hatfield who never let up on pressuring the city, county and state to get the soundwalls installed.”
One of the very first advocacy efforts of NCVV was a video compiled by Board members in 2003 showing the high sound levels in Valley Village Park and the effect on families and children who play in the park. “We sent the video to state, county, city and Metro representatives, and kept pressuring all of them about sound and safety issues related to the lack of sound walls” said Braswell. “This effort spanned three Mayors, three City Council persons, three County Supervisors and quite a few city, state and Metro department leaders. It took twenty years but the persistence has finally paid off.”
At the August meeting of the NCVV Board Councilman Krekorian, Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian and County Supervisor Barger were officially recognized for their help with this project. By the first quarter of 2023 all of the landscaping for the soundwalls should be complete. Due to hot weather landscaping has been delayed until the fall, so watch for installation of drought tolerant plants and groundcover to soon begin.
