We invite you to join us for the
VCA ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Monday, January 23, 2012

SPARC
685 Venice Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291

6:30 – 7:00 PM – Meet & Greet Reception with Wine & Light Refreshments

7:00 – 9:00 PM – General Meeting

FREE PARKING IN THE CITY LOTS BEHIND SPARC
*** Door Prizes awarded at the end of our Meeting ***

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PLACING YOUR NAME INTO NOMINATION FOR THE BOARD*, PLEASE NOTIFY US AT contact@venicecanalsassociation.org OR CALL (310) 301-6223 AND LEAVE YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012. The first meeting of the newly elected Board will take place on Monday, February 6, 2012 at 6:30 P.M.

Meet Councilman Rosendahl, LAPD Pacific Division Captain Jon Peters and our Senior Lead Officer Peggy Thusing. They will be joining us to address issues of concern to our community.

Look forward to seeing you on Monday, January 23rd !!!

* Only General Members in good standing may run for a seat on the Venice Canals Association’s Board of Directors. As per 2004 Amendment to VCA By-Laws, and for purposes of continuity, Board seats are staggered in 2-year terms.

* If you are not currently a general member and would like to become one, please download a membership application.

Thanks to Steve Christensen and January Parkos Arnall for the photos!

Here are the results for the Holiday Boat Parade and Home & Bridge Decorating contests:

Boats

• “SS Enterprise” – Liz and Tim Prokop, Stephen Kruger “Mother Nature’s Sons” Linda Metzer, Maryann Marino, Kim Tellma
• “Gorilla” – Steve Gatto
• “Holiday Cheer” – Emmit Berg
• “Let it Spin” – Ed Orrett, Laura Snoke
• “Ducks Occupy the Venice Canals” – Kent Hayward, Elizabeth Hurchalla, James Arnall

Bridges

We’ve received a lot of inquiries regarding the winners of the Holiday Boat Parade and the Home & Bridge Decorating contests. We will announce the winners by Monday. We had a great turnout last Sunday, and a lot of wonderful boats. Stay tuned…

This Saturday morning, December 10, the 34th Annual Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run will close down certain areas of Venice streets. The event coordinators passed along the following info regarding what will be closed and when:

We use a “Rolling Closure” technique for the course streets through
the Venice community. With the assistance of the LA Dept. of
Transportation (DOT) officers, some cars will be allowed to exit
certain areas before and between the hours of 6 am to 10 am. (only if
the DOT officers determine it to be safe to allow a vehicle passage)

These streets with some flexibility are:

- Navy Street, from the Boardwalk, east to Pacific Ave. = Open before
6:30 am closed at 6:30 am. Open after 10 am for the rest of the day.
- Pacific Ave. from Navy Street to South Venice Blvd. = Open to cross
over only, before 6:30 am and again open at 8:15 am to 8:30 am to
cross over only. Open at 9:30 am for cross-over only.
- So. Venice Blvd. from the Venice Boardwalk to Lincoln Blvd.
(Eastbound traffic) = Open until 6:30 am and open again at 10 am for
the rest of the day. (Cars can park on North Venice (Closed only
westbound at Pacific) or on side streets South of So. Venice Blvd.
- Abbott Kinney Blvd. from So. Venice Blvd. to Washington Blvd. = open
until 6:30 am and closed until 9:30 am. Park on side streets, N/E or
S/W of Abbott Kinney to exit at any time during the run.

Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run info flyer (483kb PDF)

The VCA is joining with other Venice community organizations in a letter writing campaign to encourage city officials to support the existing laws banning camping on the Boardwalk.  Residents have told us about incidents that have occurred and many are afraid to go to the Boardwalk, day or night.  Please make your voice heard by sending a letter to the city officials named below.  Below is a sample letter from the Venice Stakeholders Association; feel free to use it, but, if at all possible, we suggest you write something in your own words.  Thank you for your participation.

Mayor mayor@lacity.org
Deputy Mayor Larry.Frank@lacity.org
West LA Director for the Mayor joseph.hari@lacity.org
Public Safety Policy Director steve.olivas@lacity.org
City Attorney ctrutanich@lacity.org
Atty.Schedule@lacity.org
CD11 Councilmember Billrosendahl@aol.com
Assistant to CD11 Councilmember margaret.hash@lacity.org
Police Chief Charlie.Beck@lapd.lacity.org
Police Captain jon.peters@lapd.lacity.org

Subject:  Enforce the Ban on Camping at Venice Beach

Please enforce the ban on camping in the Venice Beach Recreation Area (LAMC 63.44 (D) (4)).

The park and its Ocean Front Walk have become a cesspool of drug use and sales, public drunkenness, public defecation and urination, assaults, intimidation, late night noise, off-leash dogs, and a breeding ground for criminal activity that is directed at residents, businesses and private property, including automobiles which are routinely broken into in Venice.

Residents and visitors now feel they must avoid the Boardwalk due to the dangerous conditions that exist there.  Many in the travel press now advise visitors to skip Venice Beach due to these conditions.

The campers who truly want a bed for the night can obtain a bed at one of the several shelters which have been opened early for this purpose.

Please act to restore Ocean Front Walk to its former glory as a safe, cool and friendly place for LA residents and visitors alike.

Sincerely,

This year’s Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade will take place Sunday, December 11.

Boats assemble at 4:00 pm, and the parade begins at 4:30 pm sharp.  Parade starts at corner of Eastern & Sherman.

Prizes awarded for

• “Best-Decorated Boat”
• “Best-Lit Boat”
• All children’s boats will receive prizes.

There is also a contest for “Best-Dressed Homes & Bridges”.  Judging takes place the evening of Saturday, December 10.

You must register using the attached forms. Please call Sandy Berens at 310-306-3666 for more information.

Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade Flyer (105kb PDF)