WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Wednesday, March 29, at 10 a.m., the city of West Hollywood will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its new Ocean-Friendly Demonstration Garden.
West Hollywood partnered with West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) to install the garden, in an effort to reduce water usage and promote conservation in the community. West Basin worked with the Department of Public Works in overseeing the procurement and installation of the project. The garden was designed with water-efficient plants that are native to California, keeping ecological principles and water conservation in mind.
The garden also exhibits artwork curated through West Hollywood’s Art on the Outside program, which installs temporary artworks throughout the city. Currently, “The Chase,” origami-inspired steel sculptures that dramatize survival, are on display. The artist, Hacer, is known for his sculptures that explore psychologically complex themes.
The ceremony will take place in the median of the 9000-block of Santa Monica Boulevard, between North Doheny Drive and North Almont Drive. West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister and members of the city council will be in attendance, along with West Basin Division IV directior, Scott Houston.
“As a City, we are passionate about ecological stewardship and advocacy,” Meister said in an announcement. “One of our core values is responsibility for the environment, and we are committed not only to reducing our water usage, but also to raising awareness and educating individuals and businesses about how we must all make permanent changes, not just during times of drought. The ocean-friendly demonstration garden, made possible by West Basin, is a wonderful project that deepens the city’s commitment and serves to remind people, each and every day, about conservation.”
West Hollywood depends on water piped in from sources outside the area. In recent years, the threat of a water shortage has risen as a result of the severe drought in California. The city produced an Emmy Award-winning public service announcement, “Winter is Here! But the Drought is Far From Over,” a parody of the HBO series, “Game of Thrones.” The one-minute video, designed as a TV-series preview trailer, was intended to touch the community in a creative way.
Two water utility companies, Beverly Hills Public Works and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), provide service to West Hollywood residents and businesses. They are urging their customers to cut back on water usage. Information and tips on water conservation are available at www.weho.org/waterconservation.
West Basin Municipal Water District, a wholesale water agency, provides imported drinking water to nearly 1 million people in Los Angeles County. West Basin is implanting a water reliability program to reduce dependence on imported water and increase local water supplies. This includes methods such as water recycling and groundwater desalting. For more information, please contact Micole Alfaro, Public Information Specialist, West Basin, at (310) 660-6258 or micoler@westbasin.org.
For additional information about the Ocean-Friendly Demonstration Garden, please contact Helen Collins, Senior Administrative Analyst, Department of Public Works, City of West Hollywood, at (323) 848-6895 or hcollins@westbasin.org. For people who are deaf or hearing impaired, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
