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David Carrera is a general pain-in-the-ass and cranky pants resident of Hollywood of 30 years. Originally from Northern California, Hollywood is now home where he lives with his wife and where they are raising their daughter. Much to the chagrin of his wife, Hollywood might be the place where he grows old and perfects the art of “you kids get off my lawn” and “back in my day….”. He most enjoys spending his time hanging with his family and getting out into nature.

It is with a heavy heart that I join my FHCP Board colleagues in grieving the loss of our founding Board Member Edward V. Hunt. FHCP was founded because of Edward Hunt’s desire to create more green open space in Hollywood. And his idea? Cover the Hollywood Freeway with a Park! Edward was relentless in his passion to rid our community of scar that the Hollywood Freeway is on our landscape.

Since freeways began slicing through cities in the United States more than 75 years ago, they have carved deep and lasting lines of separation through countless communities. Many of these communities —located in so-called blighted areas—were made up of people of color who were simply pushed aside by the transportation officials building out the nation’s vast network of interstates and urban freeways. In a somewhat surprising speech in March 2016, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, the nation’s top transportation official, acknowledged this dark history and the mistakes of his predecessors.

For the Love of Hollywood was held Jan. 7 at the Taglyan Cultural Center. This year’s honors went to Mike Sullivan, owner of LAcarGUY, Paul Viviano of Children’s Hospital LA, and Paul Hirsh, principal of the STEM Academy at Helen Bernstein High School, for their work to shape the park’s progress and help transform the dream into a reality.

From the first moment that it was explained to me, I’ve been a huge fan, and supporter, of The Hollywood Central Park. I mean, what’s not to love?

FHCP goes to Washington DC because civic engagement is an essential component of our mission. As part of our strategy to create change we must engage the state and federal legislative processes.

FHCP’s second annual Sacramento Advocacy trip included delegates from the FHCP Board of Directors, community leaders and business owners who traveled to Sacramento to brief legislators and agencies on the Park’s progress and to learn what legislation might be applicable to the Park.

On March 20th, a delegation of FHCP Board members, community members andbusiness and property owners participated in the Friends of the Hollywood Central Park’s Annual Advocacy Trip to Washington, D.C. This year’s trip included a 2-day stop in Chicago to learn the ins and outs of Millennium Park and a 2-day stop in New York City to tour the renowned Highline. Clearly, parks are an economic engine for the local economy!

In 2011, then Council Member Eric Garcetti initiated Los Angeles Neighborhood Dreams (LAND). Neighborhood steering committees were charged with creating small projects that would address issues of concern and would provide a healing effect on their respective neighborhoods.

On October 12th 2013, members of the FHCP Board of Directors took a walking tour along the edges of the Hollywood Freeway to imagine the proposed park winding its way through busy streets and neighborhoods and the positive impact the Park will have on our community.

On March 17th, the luck of the Irish was with the 17-member delegation representing the Friends of the Hollywood Central Park as they descended on our nation’s Capitol for their annual trip to advocate on behalf of the Hollywood Central Park.