Thinkin’ about Lincoln - An interview with Jack Prichett and
Barbara Milliken
By Sheila
Bernard
Through our town of sharp
contrasts, I walked over to see Jack and Barbara, twelve-year Venice residents.
Lincoln, as always, was crowded with four lanes-worth of people in a hurry. But
two blocks from Lincoln, the noise faded to tranquility as I entered the
pedestrian-only “walk streets.”
The yard outside the house was a colorful
medley of flowers, vegetable garden, and art works. The décor inside was
elegant-rustic. Jack and Barbara, both lifetime members of the Sierra Club and
avid backpackers, chronicle the beauty of nature, Jack through photography and
Barbara through painting.
In addition they
are documenting the beauty of their walk street and the neighbors who live there
by compiling a book of photos and biographic material. “We feel
privileged to live in Venice,” Barbara says. “We belong
here.”
I first met Jack and
Barbara at a planning meeting for Envision Venice, a community planning
workshop that will take place on November 15th.
The Envision Venice workshop has been
endorsed by Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood
Council.
Participating urban planners,
architects and sponsors include: Venice Community Coalition, Pugh + Scarpa
Architecture, Reich Architecture and Urban Design, local merchants and the
Venice Community Housing Corp.
The
workshop, led by community planners and architects, will focus on growth and
development along Lincoln Boulevard between Venice Boulevard and the Santa
Monica boundary (see box below).
The
event is sponsored by the Venice Community Coalition, a citizens’ group
formed earlier this year. Venice residents, neighborhood organizations,
business groups, and city officials will participate. The goal: to ensure that
growth and development along Lincoln Boulevard reflect, respect and enhance the
historic and artistic qualities of
Venice.
Jack heads up publicity for
Envision Venice, drawing on his experience as a former media relations and
communications manager for a large company. Barbara, an attorney specializing
in civil litigation related to contracts and employment, chairs community
outreach. The volunteer effort is nothing new: Both have contributed many
unpaid hours in Venice, Jack as a precinct worker in a number of political
campaigns, and Barbara as a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild
seeking to protect First Amendment rights. Both have served for years as
volunteers for the Venice Art Walk.
So
how did Jack and Barbara find their way to the planning committee for Envision
Venice? “Los Angeles is ideal for incorporating some of the best features
of European cities--shade trees, cafes, mixed residential and commercial use,
and wide sidewalks hosting a vibrant public life,” says Jack.
“That’s quite an ambitious stretch for Lincoln Boulevard as it is
today, but the transformation can only occur if we start to work by planning for
it. Envision Venice offers the people of Venice a chance to create a dream and
take a hand in creating the future of our city.” Barbara adds her
recollection of Paris and European cities where one can meet, converse and
engage with neighbors, friends and even strangers amid a lively street
life.
I ask whether they think
designing Lincoln is controversial. Barbara responds, “I think everyone
agrees that what we have now on Lincoln is not what anyone really wants. The
boulevard needs to be changed and renovated. This event lets us dream about how
we want to transform Lincoln; those dreams can lead to real changes in our
neighborhood.”
What do they
think of rail on Lincoln? “I don’t know if there’s enough
room, or what the logistics would be,” Jack says. “I do know that
rail once traversed the city, and was removed. I’m sure that better
public transportation provides the way out of a car-driven culture. We have to
make it easier for people to leave their cars at home.” Jack describes
how the public transit system in San Diego, which he has watched with interest,
brings people into downtown from all over the
area.
I ask them whether the workshop
can arrive at a united vision for Lincoln. “The more points of view we
have at this event, the better,” Jack answers. “We are directing
our outreach to the entire Venice community; we want to get the full spectrum of
viewpoints and ideas.” The workshop will result in a report to catalyze
city officials to begin preparation of a Community Design Overlay, or CDO, for
Lincoln Boulevard. A CDO is a tool used by the planning department, which
ensures that development will embody the community’s values, preserve
existing desirable qualities, and result in new qualities that will improve the
physical environment.
Barbara sums up the
benefits that she hopes will flow from Envision Venice: “We, as citizens,
can become proactive toward development, rather than reactive. Do we want to
see continuing unstructured and unplanned development? Do we want future
development to just happen? I don’t think we do. Instead, we want to be
involved in the planning process. We want a community where everyone, all
ethnic groups and all income levels, can share a lively and interesting public
life.”
Envision
Venice
Workshop
Saturday,
November 15, 2003
9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
United Methodist
Church,
1020 Victoria (corner of Lincoln
Blvd.)
Venice
Light
lunch provided.
Space is limited. Register
by phoning 310.285.8001 or emailing
envisionvenice@yahoo.com.
More information at
www.envisionvenice.org
Posted: Sat
- November 1, 2003 at 05:01 PM