Hahamongna

Re: Piece of Mind column, "Giving fields a sporting chance," July 15. Many of us — hikers, runners, walkers, bicyclists, equestrians, artists, scientists, children, families — go to Hahamonga because we need wild spaces, unpredictable surfaces, plants, trees, flowers, running wild water, birds, small mammals, deer, bumblebees and the occasional coyote and bobcat. We live nearby because it is there and easy to access, and it gives us what we can't find in the urban/suburban landscape.

A 30-acre parcel adjoining Pasadena and La Cañada, known as the Hahamongna annex, has been the topic for much debate over the nine years since Pasadena regained ownership of it. Pasadena sold the property to the Metropolitan Water District, and then bought it back for $1.2 million when MWD planners decided the property wasn?t needed for a settling basin. The 30 acres lying between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Devil?s Gate Dam have been the subject of numerous meetings and planning sessions involving stakeholders from La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena and Altadena.

PASADENA ? The city of Pasadena's plan for the future reuse of the 30 acres of land adjacent to La Cañada known as the Hahamongna Annex will be unveiled at a public meeting at 6:30 tonight (Thursday, April 19) at the Salvation Army offices, 960 E. Walnut. The land, which houses a fire camp, forestry service officers and equestrian stables, was purchased by Pasadena from the Flood Control District. It was linked by name to the 1,300-acre Hahamongna Watershed Park, and the city promised to limit uses to recreation and open space.

A planning session last Saturday on the future use of what has become known as the Hahamongna Annex produced a room full of ideas from trails, equestrian and recreation leaders from La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena and Altadena. Three scenarios and a number of variations were the product of a planning charrette, a term for face-to-face bargaining sessions. The scenarios looked at a variety of possible uses for the property, which was bought by the city of Pasadena from the Metropolitan Water District after the city leased the property for a number of years.

The Pasadena City Council Monday night will take up the plan for the 30-acre Hahamongna Annex at its meeting at Pasadena City Hall. The planning effort for the northern annex to the Hahamongna Watershed Park has been underway since 2005, when Pasadena purchased the property from the Metropolitan Water District. The work has included residents from Pasadena, La Cañada and Altadena who remain concerned about some aspects of the proposal. Mary Barrie, a trails advocate from La Cañada, said she objects to the removal of some 70 non-native trees from the annex, including some mature species such as stone pines, Chinese elms and California peppers.

Hahamongna meeting tonight The public is invited to review and comment on three proposals centering on access, circulation and parking options for Hahamongna Watershed Park Annex today (Thursday) at 6 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 960 E. Walnut St. in Pasadena. The meeting is presented by the public works dept. staff for the city of Pasadena. The annex is part of Hahamongna Watershed Park, an area of about 1,300 acres that extends from Devil’s Gate Dam northward into Arroyo Seco Canyon on the northwestern edge of Pasadena, bordering La Cañada Flintridge.

Letters to the Editor: Scouting skills proved invaluable to family “To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.” This year these lines from the Boy Scout Oath have been tested too many times. Friday night, mud rushed by my house, damaging my front yard and my car. Earlier this year, we watched fire burn within feet of our neighbor’s yards. By good fortune, we were spared the worst devastation, but because we were prepared the damage we did suffer was minimized.

Last week an area newspaper asked its readers if they thought La Canada Flintridge should buy the 30 acres of Metropolitan Water District surplus land for sale in Hahamongna. Since the city of Pasadena has already submitted a purchase offer to Metropolitan for the land, an equally interesting question might be: what does Pasadena plan to do with the land if they are successful in buying it? Pasadena Mayor Bogaard and City Manager Cynthia Kurtz have both stated publicly that Pasadena will not evict Rose Bowl Riders and Tom Sawyer Camp, two well-loved La Cañada institutions which have been located on the property for decades.

The Pasadena City Council Monday night approved the initial study and plan for the 30 acres of the Hahamongna annex, after years of community discussion and debate. The next step for the open space parcel located between Pasadena and La Cañada will be to identify projects and funding for the land, located above the Hahamongna Watershed Park. Some 35 speakers raised issues about the project site, which will house an outdoor education center, an equestrian center, the county fire camp and open space with trails and picnic grounds.

La Cañada High Varsity football - Friday, Sept. 2 - Antelope Valley at home (in scrimmage) at 7 p.m. . . . Junior varsity football - Friday, Sept. 2 - Antelope Valley at home (in scrimmage) at 6 p.m.; Thursday, Sept. 8 - Pomona there at 3:15 p.m. . . . Freshmen football - Friday, Sept. 2 - Antelope Valley at home (in scrimmage) at 5 p.m. . . . Boys' varsity water polo - Thursday, Sept. 8 - Royal there (in scrimmage). . . . Boys' freshmen/sophomore water polo - Thursday, Sept.

Driving down Oak Grove Drive between La Cañada High School and Hahamongna Watershed Park, most would never guess deep within the park is a mini-army of 400-plus kids enjoying an old-fashioned summer. For the past 84 years, Tom Sawyer Camps, originally located in Laguna Beach, has been inviting kids to "unplug," immerse themselves in nature and spend their summer outside the vast reach of technology. The camp's two current locations are in Arcadia and here in La Cañada's own backyard.

Re: Piece of Mind column, "Giving fields a sporting chance," July 15. Many of us — hikers, runners, walkers, bicyclists, equestrians, artists, scientists, children, families — go to Hahamonga because we need wild spaces, unpredictable surfaces, plants, trees, flowers, running wild water, birds, small mammals, deer, bumblebees and the occasional coyote and bobcat. We live nearby because it is there and easy to access, and it gives us what we can't find in the urban/suburban landscape.

Wildlife activists prevailed over youth sports proponents this week when the Pasadena City Council voted Monday to reject one of two proposed sports fields in Hahamongna Watershed Park, across the street from La Cañada High School. And the field that remains on the drawing board may well get the boot one day down the road, as the conservationists continue their fight to keep the area behind Devil's Gate Dam as open and wildlife-friendly as possible. Where's the hue and cry, the gnashing of teeth?

La Cañada Flintridge returned to its roots as an equestrian community, as 150 riders joined Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich on his Trail Dusters horseback-riding excursion Sunday. Twice annually Antonovich selects communities within District 5 to host the Trail Dusters event, which attracts equestrian enthusiasts from throughout the county. ?It was a huge turnout,? said Randy Strapezon, president of the La Cañada Flintridge Trails Council. Sunday?s ride began at the Rose Bowl Riders facility in Hahamongna Park, and traversed parts of the Flint Canyon, Cherry Canyon, Ultimate Destination and Cerro Negro trails.

CLUBS The Verdugo Hills Art Assn. — May 7, at 7 p.m . Monthly meeting will feature artist Quinton Bemiller. Bemiller is a painter, educator and a gallery director and currently has his mural, “Hahamongna,” on display at the Armory Center for the Arts, and also has a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 1. The meeting is held at the Citibank Community Room, 2350 Honolulu Ave....

The La Cañada Flintridge Trails Council is gearing up for two major events on back-to-back weekends that will help shine the spotlight on the city?s trail system, officials said. On Saturday, the Trails Council will host the 16th annual Trail Hike and Information Day, to be followed by Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich?s annual Trail Dusters ride on May 16. ?I think the trail system is really kind of a signature feature of the city, and any chance we have to highlight it like that is good,?

I promise not to tell anyone else, but I need to know: Are you experiencing a rat problem at your La Cañada house? We’d had warnings recently that we were not living alone. Directly overhead I could hear activity. It sounded like someone with a nocturnal bent was having a great time in the attic. One night about a week ago it sounded like a ball was being kicked about up there in a wild rodent soccer match. I’m pretty sure some back-slapping and the rattus version of high-fives took place with each goal.

Walk-a-Thon to benefit Move a Child Higher riding program A walk-a-thon fundraiser for the Move a Child Higher therapeutic horseback riding program for the disabled will take place on Sunday, March 14. Sponsor yourself, ask 10 friends for $10 each or form a team. Any amount is welcome to join this family and dog-friendly event. The route begins from Pasadena?s Hahamongna Watershed Park and follows a 5k trail in the upper arroyo. Registration begins at 8 a.m, with the kickoff and walk starting at 9. Special guest speakers marathon runner Bill Latter and San Diego Chargers announcer Dennis Parker will kickoff and wrap up the walk.