Echo Park, in the crosshairs of gentrification *

Echo Park is on the gentrification radar more than ever. It's an old story, not to mention a movie, and admittedly, my piece this week on the glories of the lake's unofficial (and illegal) Fourth of July fireworks bonanza is probably not going to help matters. Hope you enjoy it anyway, though:

The Fourth of July is a big holiday in Echo Park. Most years, we’re served with weeks of “premature” fireworks, then have residual explosions for several weeks afterward, to the immeasurable distress of pets and wild animals everywhere. On the big day, however, the park becomes ground zero for a direct-contact fireworks show that is a running local miracle for the simple fact that no one has been killed in the process. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people ring the lake and launch big, scary fireworks from their bare hands, into the sky, over the water, into the trees, even at each other: firecrackers, flares, Roman candles, sparklers, helicopters.

Read on. So, to update the Echo Park gentrification drama: Last week the L.A. Times ran a story about the fate of the pedal boats at Echo Park, and in MacArthur. Eric Garcetti maneuvered to save them, but only for now. Already you feel that boogeyman -- the shift of gentry -- pressing upon a park that is mostly the domain of immigrant street vendors, families, joggers, and people resting or napping. But there are more and more intrusive, cocky film crews domineering whole areas of the park and planting their hulking trailers directly in front of people's homes for weeks at a time. For the Lotus Festival this weekend, obnoxious temporary fences went up around the park's exterior, two weeks ahead of time, with no warning. Questions keep circulating as to what might happen to the lake in the future. Here's one at Curbed LA:

"I've been hearing rumors that Echo Park Lake is going to be closed for a year, drained and refilled, and perhaps the area around it re-landscaped. [...] there were big new "No Vending in Public Areas" signs up... perhaps directed at people selling helotes and snow cones and hot dogs? I sure hope things aren't headed that way... I love walking around the lake and getting snacks from the vendors, and the whole community vibe that goes on there. Are they going to shut it down for a while and gentrify it, and kill all the local character?"

And here's how a certified shithead of a commenter named Whatever responded:

Let me rephrase that ridiculous question: "Are they going to clean the lake up, make it all nice and pretty, and change the character of the status quo that is all nasty and dirty because the people who use it now are probably immigrants from agraian [sic] backgrounds?"

Reminds me of this shithead of a post at Metroblogging. Keep in mind this is just chatter over the lake. And people wonder why many see the phenomenon of gentrification as a form of malignant racism and lopsided class warfare. Anyway, in defense of the thriving, organic community that is Echo Park at its soul, lets now turn to the wisdom of ace young filmmaker Stephanie Cisneros, whom I wrote about while at the L.A. Times, and her film on the home that is her neighborhood:

* Links at L.A. Times, Curbed LA, LA Weekly, YouTube. See also Chicken Corner, Echo Park.net, and previously, "Code red: Hipster Infestation at the Gold Room!" and "Another lake-front building in Echo Park bites the dust."

* And for an East Coast lamentation that's similar, in satire, see here.

Comments

[the gentry]

don't you think that by writing your article the city will probably focus on shutting down the fireworks next year, thereby helping the gentrification you talk about?

[Daniel H.]

I calculated this, but this year cops shut it down at 11 p.m. More people are talking about it, aware of it. Felt it was about time to properly describe and honor the tradition, and contextualize it. If the city tries to shut it down next year, I can see the community just taking up fireworks to defend themselves. Kidding. Either way, it will be documented.

[chimatli]

I was wondering what all those fences around the park were for...A friend of mine said he saw a bunch of vendors get chased from the park a few weeks ago despite being in surrounded by customers. Gentrification starts with little things, usually some neighbor complaining about noise or drying laundry hanging on fences (someone actually wrote this on our local nelalist). Most recently on one of the lists, someone was asking how to get an ice cream truck operator in trouble for playing their music too loud! Damn, keep those neurotic tendencies in the suburbs where they belong!

[GLORY]

desgarciadamente, este proyecto se hizo con mas estudiantes. y no esxtudiantes. que se colecto informacion y entrevistas a una comundad del sur centro de los angeles y con algunas personas de echo park, entrevistadas, por el grupo, y la estudiante ESTEFANY CISNEROS RAPTO, EL MATERIAL PARA ASERLO PUBLICO SIN NINGUN ESFUERZO PROPIO, Y DEJANDO ATRAS ALOS COMPANEROS QUE TENIAMOS LA MISMA VISION Y DEL PROYECTO. SOLO HAGO MENSION QUE NO ES JUSTO ASER ESFUERZOS EN VANO UN PROYECTO QUE NO REALIZO LA ESTUDIANTE CISNEROS, Y LO QUE FUE PRESENTADO EN ESPACIO DONDE SOLO ELLA INVITO A PRENTARLO, Y NISIQUIERA TOMO ENCUENTA ALOS DEMAS ESTUDIANTES QUE LO REALIZARON . ESTEFANY CISNEROS NO ES JUSTO QUE LO HAYA PUBLICADO ESCONDIENDO EL MATERIAL QUE NO PUSO NADA DE APOLLO

[Dot]

People who live in greater L.A. should realize the city only exists because of its connection to film and television. None of us likes the inconvenience of a film crew on our block but runaway production has hobbled the city's tax base. So deal with it. As for gentrification being a form of racism... Count me as a white non-hipster who's just left Echo Park after being called "gringa" for the umpteenth time. Being told to "go back to Europe" on a daily basis and FINALLY having a gun shoved in my face by a young Latino who called me "Anglo whore" as he helped himself to my iPhone. Nobody need shed tears for the poor Latinos in Echo Park, they are still running the place and outsiders need not apply.