Temescal Canyon Association was founded in 1972 to prevent the sale of what is now Temescal Gateway Park to a developer with plans for a golf driving range. In subsequent years TCA helped preserve the canyon from a variety of threats including a cross-mountain road, and in the mid-seventies TCA was instrumental in creating a plan for what is now Topanga State Park.During the past few years we count among our achievements the bridge at the Temescal waterfall, pictured on the left, several smaller bridges in Temescal and Los Liones Canyons. Under direction of Trailmeister Ron Webster, TCA and the Sierra Club trails crew created two popular hiking trails, one connects Gateway Park with Will Rogers, the other connects Gateway Park with Bienveneda Ave. An on-going concern of the Association is the recent purchase and potential development by the YMCA of four acres at the corner of Temescal and Sunset. We would much prefer that this geographical and historical heart of our community remain in public hands, however the property was purchased by the State subject to a previous purchase option, an option that the YMCA after decades of controversy has now exercised. We hope that the YMCA will be responsive to the community's concerns as it proceeds with plans for the site. Another concern is that there be ample and convenient access from the Palisades to the City park currently being planned on property stretching about a mile in Potrero Canyon from the Recreation Center to PCH. TCA intends to continue monitoring the park planning process and will continue to oppose efforts to restrict public access. A recent cause for alarm was Governor Schwartzenegger's plan to reduce the funding of our state parks by ten percent which would have resulted in the closure of 48 state parks, including Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park. Temescal Canyon Association collected over 1,200 petitions opposing closure of any of our state parks. We are pleased and relieved that this inane notion has now been dropped from the budget. 
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TCA has taken a special interest in the creation of a park in Los Liones Canyon. This former dump stretching from the fire station on Sunset Blvd. to the Mormon Church, has been transformed into parkland in part by thousands of hours of planting, watering, and weeding by dedicated TCA volunteers.TCA also funded creation of a large mural facing the park on Los Liones Drive depicting the canyon's natural flora and fauna. This was the work of several artists under direction of Palisades muralist Terri Bromberg, see detail on right.
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For more than 30 years TCA has led hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains. You are welcome to come hike with us. Membership is not necessary, and children when accompanied by adults are welcome too.In the winter months we hike one Sunday a month. Starting at nine we usually cover six to ten miles returning in mid-afternoon. In the summer we hike once a week on Tuesday evenings starting at six. In order to finish before dark, these hikes are shorter, usually three to five miles and are not far afield. For more about our hikes and to view the current hike schedule, please scroll down. | |
We build trails. Would you like to help? No skill required, and we provide the tools. Just leave your name and e-mail address at the address below and we'll be in touch.TCA has published a hiking map of our local mountains showing trails, fireroads, and points of interest. The map is free to TCA members or may be purchased at Gateway Park, Village Books, Will Rogers, Trippet Ranch, Palisades Letter Shop, or Palisades Bicycles. Photos are courtesy of Jim Kenney. | |
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CARE TO JOIN US?Would you like to join Temescal Canyon Association? Our dues are but $5.00 a year, which entitles you to our hiking map of the local mountains, newsletters, a reusable shopping bag, and hike schedules. For a donation of $25 we also include a beautiful TCA sweatshirt, the perfect gift!You may reach TCA - |
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SUNDAY HIKES FOR 2008-9
Member or not, you are welcome to join us. We meet at 9:00 a.m. sharp in the Temescal Gateway Park parking lot at the northwest corner of Sunset Blvd. and Temescal Canyon Road. Parking passes will be provided.Wear boots or heavy shoes, bring water and lunch. We love dogs but they are not permitted on most hiking trails. However children accompanied by adults are welcome. These hikes are usually six to ten miles and you can expect to be back at Gateway Park by early to mid-afternoon. Our hikes are most often in the Santa Monica Mountains on trails ranging from very easy to somewhat strenuous. Please bring any concerns about the difficulty of the hike to the attention of the hike leader before setting out. In the event of fire closure (red flag day) or questionable weather the hike will either be canceled, or if feasible the leader will suggest a Plan "B". |
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BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS FOR 2008
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SEPTEMBER 2008 NEWSLETTERWelcome!To begin with I would like to welcome all of you who have recently joined our association. And we hope you will join us on our upcoming hikes. To give you a little background - TCA was founded in 1972 to prevent the sale of what is now Temescal Gateway Park for a golf driving range. In subsequent years TCA has helped preserve Temescal Canyon from a variety of threats including a cross-mountain road to the Valley! If you would like to learn some more of TCA’s history and updates on our hikes, please go to our website, at temcanyon.org. Temescal News We were pleased to learn that TCA was to be included as a “stakeholder” in the preparation of a long range plan for the Conservancy property in Temescal Canyon, however that process has now been put on hold pending a review of the YMCA pool issue by the Conservancy Board. We understand this review will be open to the public and held in Temescal Gateway Park sometime in November. The pool, which predates Conservancy ownership of the property, has for many years been a social as well as fitness center for the Palisades and especially for many of our seniors. We encourage the Conservancy and the Y to find a way to keep this resource open to our community as well to the thousands of young people the Conservancy brings to the canyon each year. The schools that were renting space in Temescal Canyon have finally left, and as you may notice the meadow where the trailers had been parked has been beautifully restored. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority – who manage the canyon, now have more space to bring in the school groups of inner city children to stay for a few nights and enjoy the setting You will be happy to hear that the mural in Temescal Canyon was re-coated with another protective layer in June. This was accomplished by a group of TCA volunteers, under the direction of muralist Terri Bromberg. Graffiti artists were at it again in August, but thanks to the coating the graffiti was easily removed. Funds for State Parks As you no doubt have heard, the Governor has backed down on his plan to close a number of State Parks. We think this was due to the overwhelmingly negative response to his plan. The Topanga Canyon Docents spearheaded the local protest with help from TCA and the Sierra Club and many other organizations. Thank you all for responding to our mailing, and for signing the petitions. Several hundred were taken to Sacramento and delivered by hand to the Governor by a group of Topanga Elementary schoolchildren! Assemblyman John Laird (Santa Cruz) has proposed a wonderful solution to the problem of funding for State Parks. To quote the California State Parks Foundation – “A $10 surcharge would be added to the vehicle license fee of all non-commercial vehicles. In exchange Californians would be provided free day use access and parking to virtually all state parks.” California’s State Park system is the largest in the nation, but as many of us are aware, it has been under funded for decades, with a huge backlog of maintenance projects. The remarkable solution proposed by Assemblyman Laird is a part of the current budget, which is still stalled in Sacramento, as we all know. Since the $10 surcharge is considered a tax, it would need a 2/3 majority to pass. If it does not pass, it could become a ballot initiative. Sunday Hikes We enclose the schedule for our 2008-9 Sunday hikes and hope you can join us. We meet at 9:00 a.m. in Gateway Park and are usually back at Temescal by early to mid-afternoon. For more about our hikes and to check for possible updates please see our web site temcanyon.org. Dear Members If you find a return envelope enclosed it means we’ve not heard from you for a year or more. As always the date of your most recent donation may be found on your mailing label. Our dues remain but $5.00, which entitles you to a trail map of our local mountains and a re-usable TCA shopping bag, while a donation of a mere $25 also entitles you to a beautiful TCA sweatshirt. These items may be picked up at Palisades Bicycles, 871 Via de la Paz, (next to the Letter Shop, at rear of Beckwith Insurance). Carol Leacock, President | |||||
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BYLAWS OF THE TEMESCAL CANYON ASSOCIATION
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