Ven-Mar Neighborhood Association

Various News Items. 11/30/02

Nov 30, 2002

(1)Santa Monica Airport.

Friends of Sunset Park is a sister neighborhood association which takes a great interest in the Santa Monica Airport and its environmental impact. Although based in Santa Monica, it stands ready to speak ?– and has spoken in the past- for residents on all sides of the airport, including people in the VenMar area. We have a link to the Friends of Sunset Park website on and shall endeavor to post meeting dates on our Community Calendar, also found on our website. Please check the Friends of Sunset Park website for current information and proposals.


(2) New site for Fire Company #62.

A new location for Fire Company #62 is proposed for the SE corner of Venice and Inglewood, at present occupied by the Break Shot Billiard Hall. (At the SW corner of this intersection our new Mar Vista Library is under construction.) The comment period is now running: send your opinion to Trisha Murakawa 310-376-2236, or toll free at 866-257-7673, as soon as possible. The present home of Fire Company #62 on Centinela at Windward, is considered inadequate to meet future needs.


(3) Opening of New Post Office.

The new Post Office on the SE corner of Venice and Grand View was placed in service on November 5, 2002. The customer line is longer than it was at the old post office, because with the move came a reduction in the number of counter service stalls from five to three. When you see the line extend to past the security gates, you can expect to wait in line for 20 to 25 minutes before you are served, even longer if no customers give up and leave when they find the line moves too slowly. A trip to the post office is for those who are fit and can afford the time to wait. What about the physically impaired and the old folk? Is it reasonable to let them wait in line for half an hour? Or should provision be made, as the Supermarkets do, with a special check-out for the handicapped? No-one should be expected to wait in line for this length of time, not even the leisured fit.

(4) Opening of Mar Vista Library

The construction of the new Mar Vista Library is on schedule for a January or February, 2003, opening. This addition to the City of Los Angeles library system will be welcomed by patrons in our area, who at present use libraries operated by the County of Los Angeles (on Overland Ave. in Culver City and in Marina del Rey) or by other cities such as Santa Monica. At present the nearest City of Los Angeles libraries are at the western end of Venice Blvd. and at 11360 Santa Monica Blvd (W of Corinth)


(5) Can you help?.

The Senior Lunch Program at Penmar Recreation Center needs an ?“up and down?” type refrigerator in working order. Your donation could be a tax write-off. Contact the Center?’s director, Amber Johnson, at (310) 396-8735.

(6) Our Website.

Our website has been awarded a ?“Worth Watching?” Star by Neighborhood Link. (Check this out by going to and ticking the box for ?“entire City?”)

Alex Utas, 310-401-1101