Woodley Park (Los Angeles, California)

Woodley Park
Location	San Fernando Valley, California, U.S.
Coordinates	34°10′46″N 118°28′44″W / 34.1795°N 118.4788°WCoordinates: 34°10′46″N 118°28′44″W / 34.1795°N 118.4788°W
Operated by	City of Los Angeles

Woodley Park is a recreation area managed by the City of Los Angeles and located at Victory Boulevard and Woodley Avenue. It is "a popular gathering area in the sprawling Sepulveda Basin, drawing regular crowds of model airplane, classic car, and cricket enthusiasts". The park is also the site of the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, which "includes a Japanese garden popular for weddings".

Cricket use

Woodley Park has five cricket grounds and draws many of the best cricket players in the Los Angeles area.^[1]

On many weekends, Woodley Park hosts a number of games of cricket being played by expats of Britain and Commonwealth counties, and British influenced countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the Caribbean.^[2]

The 1995 and 2002 U.S. national cricket championships were held at the park.^[1][3]

Other significant uses

Picnic area along Woodley Ave.

Woodley Park's uses have included hosting:

• a classic car show in 1990 that significantly outdrew a neighboring Earth Day celebration ^[4]

• weekly practice for a local bagpiping troupe in the late 1980s^[5]

• training grounds for local archery clubs and archers who later became world and Olympic champions in the late 1990s and early 2000s^[6][7]

• an anti-abortion march launching site in 1989^[8]

• Boy Scout Jamboree for the western Los Angeles County Boy Scout Council in 1999^[9]

Crime

Woodley Park was the scene of major drug dealing in the mid-1980s and was considered a drug "supermarket" that was the most notorious spot in the San Fernando Valley for open drug sales, until curtailed by increased police patrols, undercover operations, and surveillance by civilian volunteers.^[10]

It was also the scene of:

• a stabbing death in 1986^[11]

• the murder of a homeless man kicked to death by two dozen men after an argument in 1988^[12]

• shootings at two major public events in mid-1992, including at a reggae festival^[13] and, fatally, at an African-American college Greek organization event.^[14]

Dog park

Approximately 1.5 acres of the park were set aside in the late 1980s as a dog park space,^[15] although the city did not allocate needed funds by the 1990s for construction of a fence that would allow for proper use.^[16]

References

1. Lazarus, Michael (July 6, 1995). "Cricketers' Proving Grounds : Recreation: Woodley Park zone matches help in selection of U.S. team.". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
2. Broadbent, Lucy (June 2011). "Something Wicket This Way Comes: To the many things for which Compton is known, add a competitive cricket team". LA Times Magazine. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
3. Chavez, Stephanie (September 1, 2002). "Cricket Spreads Its Wings: Sports: U.S. players are vying for the national title in the British export today in Van Nuys. They have big plans for the little-understood game.". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
4. Berger, Leslie (April 23, 1989). "Classic Cars Draw a Much Bigger Crowd Than Mother Earth". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
5. Wharton, Dave (January 4, 1987). "Peck of Pipers Practicing for Perfection Perk Up Sundays in Park". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
6. Peterson, Lauren (August 5, 2000). "Straight Arrow: Montenegro, a World Champion Archer, Does His Best in Passing Sport to the Younger Generation". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
7. Becker, Tom (December 13, 1997). "Archery Tournament Lines Up Toys for Tots". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
8. "Local News in Brief : Anti-Abortion Group Marches in Van Nuys". Los Angeles Times. February 26, 1989. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
9. Diggs, Agnes (May 23, 1999). "Jamboree Attracts 6,400 Boy Scouts". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
10. Braxton, Greg (February 8, 1985). "Woodley Avenue 'Supermarket' : Police Say Drug Sales at Notorious Van Nuys Park Cut Significantly". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
11. "Van Nuys Man Held in Woodley Park Slaying". Los Angeles Times. November 8, 1986. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
12. "Local News in Brief : Tonga Native Gets 3 Years in Kicking Death". Los Angeles Times. December 7, 1988. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
13. Zamora, Jim Herron (May 27, 1992). "VAN NUYS : Shots Wound 2 at Park Reggae Festival". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
14. Chu, Henry; Martin, Hugo (April 6, 1992). "1 Killed, 4 Hurt in Gunfight at Fraternity Picnic". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
15. "Growling to Greet Dog Park Proposal". Los Angeles Times. July 15, 1989. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
16. Schwada, John (September 27, 1990). "Park Goes (for Good) to Dogs". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.