Glendale Narrows Rec Zone Website Goes Live

The 2.5-mile Los Angeles River Pilot Recreation Zone launched its website Wednesday afternoon, just 19 days before the May 27 opening of the natural-bottomed stretch near the 5 Freeway for walking, paddling and fishing.

Walt Young, who is in charge of the project for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, sent us the link and told us to watch for it go live yesterday.

Wednesday afternoon it did.

The user-friendly site includes a map of the kayaking trail that has been created in the zone, which stretches from Fletcher Drive south to nearly the intersection of the 5 and 110 freeways.

The trail is linked by ten so-called markers, tied to hazards and landmarks in the riverbed and along the shore. They are expected to help boaters safely negotiate the trail.

The site also explains how nonprofit and for-profit groups can obtain permits to use the stretch of river, as well as useful background information about how the zone was created.

Information about safety and the zone's specially-crafted signs is also included.

Click through to see the site here.

As the site explains, individuals and informal groups who have their own equipment are free to use the zone without obtaining a permit. Several commercial operators are also expected to offer guided trips with boats and other equipment included.

The anchor image on the Recreation Zone site features a boat owned by Grove Pashley, an Elysian Valley photographer and activist, though Pashley told us he did not take the picture.

Walt Young will oversee the project for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, which has been selected to manage the zone and enforce permits.

Many special activities are being planned along both banks of the zone this summer, which passes through Cypress Park and the Elysian Valley, including movies nights sponsored by the L.A. River Revitalization Corp.