Meet the Friends of Elysian Park

Simons, a local resident and park user, founded our organization in 1965 to combat the construction of a convention center in the park. Simons’ sound legal arguments and fierce letter-writing campaign swayed public opinion and proved effective to prevent the construction project.

This wasn’t the first time the park had been threatened — nor would it be the last. Despite the fact that city charter provisions were enacted to protect the park in perpetuity, the allure of so much raw land adjacent to downtown has proved irresistible. Countless efforts have been made over the years to develop park property. Some have been successful, such as the bi-furcation of the park by the Pasadena Freeway (1930-1936) and the installation of the Police Academy and its later expansion (1967-72 and 1986-96). Dodger Stadium also was built upon a parcel of land that included both park property and Chavez Ravine, a neighborhood of Mexican-Americans whose residents were displaced to make room for the ballpark in the 1950s.

Simons, a former reporter and editor for the California Eagle newspaper, dedicated the next 20 years of her life to the preservation of the park. She knew residents couldn’t simply sit on the sidelines and watch Elysian Park get smaller and smaller. She rallied her colleagues with these words:

“To protect the city’s parks, neighborhoods and quality of life, you must be vigilant and you must organize.”

Today’s Friends of Elysian Park (formerly known as the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park) faithfully carries her legacy, pushing back on a variety of proposals such as an airport, oil wells, a trade center, several condominium projects, a zip line, two football stadiums and more. We’re an entirely volunteer-run organization, united by a common desire to protect and preserve Elysian Park.