For the latest Observatory reopening news, go to the homepage.I didn't make it to the community meeting a few weeks ago about the re-opening of the Griffith Observatory, but a reporter from the local newspaper, the Los Feliz Ledger, did.
According to the article, the re-opening is now scheduled for late October or early November.
Some 17,000 people—in about 12,000 cars—are expected to want to visit the newly reopened facility daily for up to eight weeks after opening. While the surge in attendance will certainly come early, city officials expect heightened attendance to the facility for up to two years.
As a result of community feedback, the city has hired Houston-based ClicknPrint to manage an Internet reservation system for timed entry and exit passes to control traffic and over crowding.
ClicknPrint is a service that sells event tickets online that customers can print themselves. The system will limit reservations to 8,000 to 10,000 persons a day, which is the daily maximum Observatory officials said they can safely handle.
Additionally, Transit Systems Unlimited will provide shuttle services from Hollywood and Highland mall’s public parking structure and the Los Angeles Zoo in the hope of reducing total vehicle trips—meaning round trips by users, buses, employees and deliveries—to below 6,000 a day.
In response to community desire for eco-friendly transportation, the shuttles—which seat 44—will use bio-diesel fuel. Fees for the shuttle and to reserve a ticket will be $5.50.
Checkpoints near the entrance to Griffith Park would allow vehicle access to nearby residents and other park users while turning away visitors without reservations.
Realizing these new policies represent a change from the days when anyone could drive up and park at the Observatory, Friends of the Observatory (FOTO) will begin an advertising campaign to inform visitors to plan ahead by making a reservation.
Additionally, the city plans to spend up to $1 million for public education, signage, equipment and personnel and has designated 83,000 hours of part-time staff to be hired for the Observatory reopening.
There's a lot more information about the observatory and the status of the renovations at this website run by the city of Los Angeles. The most recent photos are here, and there is a fact sheet with Q&A here. Finally, there are some models and a written proposal for the project here.
Yesterday, I had a couple hours to kill before a doctor's appointment in the area, so I drove up Vermont Canyon to take a look.
I soon realized that I hadn't been up to the observatory parking lot for a year or two. East Observatory Road, the road that climbs up the south ridge to the observatory is closed to through traffic, though one can still go through the tunnel (featured in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Back to the Future II as well as numerous car commercials) and go up the back way (West Observatory Road).
At the top of the hill, the parking lot is 80% closed, with just about a dozen parking spaces available. An imposing fence blocks the way for automobile and pedestrian traffic. A lot of construction vehicles are parked on both sides of the fence, though one can see the building from a distance of about forty or fifty yards.
I decided to park the car and hike up towards Mount Hollywood. Looking down at the observatory, the lawn and grounds look immaculate. Much of the renovation is taking place underneath that lawn with a new theater and other amenities, so there could be a lot to do in the next couple of months that can't be seen from the outside.
I'm no longer a working member of the press, so I probably won't be taking any advance tours of the observatory. Actually, I have avoided blogging about anything I did that was work-related to avoid any issues of confidentiality.
Back when I was in high school, I used to hike up to the observatory via a trail that started just below the Greek Theater. You could get a good look at the south face of the observatory before the trail climbed up near the east side of the lawn. It might be worth a trip in the next few weeks to take some pictures. I'll keep you posted.
UPDATE (2006/09/29): The Los Feliz Ledger reports that the proposed $5.50 fee for the shuttle service is in doubt, due to the terms of Col. Griffith's bequest that the park and its facilities be accessible to all.
According to Jon Kirk Mukri, general manager of the city’s Dept. of Recreation and Parks, it would cost the city $8 million to $10 million to operate the shuttle if it were free of charge to visitors.
“This cost will have to be borne by someone,” said Murki.
The idea of an off-site shuttle has been discussed for nearly two years to alleviate traffic in the greater Los Feliz area and, specifically, the immediate neighborhood surrounding the Observatory when it re-opens.
According to the article, city officials are working to find other possible sources of funding for the shuttles before a planned October 3rd news conference when Mayor Villaraigosa will announce the date of the observatory's re-opening.
