OPERATION SPARKLE SPARKS INTEREST FROM CONCERNED NEIGHBORS!

June 17, 2023

Besides the usual trash such as wrappers, and plastic bottles our team came across plenty of cigarettes that sadly lined landscaped areas 😦

We are grateful for our 35 wonderful Miracle Mile neighbors who came out on June 17th and volunteered to pick up trash along Wilshire Boulevard. MMRA board members along with the help of the Mid City West Neighborhood Council, Tedd Cittadine, and Miracle Mile Civic Coalition, Wally Marks and Josh Gertler organized a cleanup of trash along Wilshire Boulevard. As many of us have noticed trash cans are often overflowing, gutters are lined with trash and all too often litter is found scattered along the sidewalks. It was time for our second annual ‘Operation Sparkle’!


We divided into two teams and covered both the north and south sides of Wilshire from Curson to La Brea and even down to 8th Street. Our motivated group (from kids to seniors) made use of the gloves, brooms, and trash pickers, filling dozens of bags and leaving our beloved boulevard all the tidier. At the end of our route, we met at El Rey for refreshments, meeting LAPD Lieutenant Arellano, Senior Lead Officer Anna Schube, Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, and Field Deputy Thao Tran.


A very big thank you to our local businesses who made contributions of supplies and food to keep our hard-working teams fueled for the task at hand: SK donuts, Starbucks coffee, El Cartel tacos, Willow Cafe cold brews and snacks, El Rey for use of the ticket booth area, The Mirabel for the generous supplies and to the MMRA for funding water, snacks, and marketing costs.


Despite this particular Saturday being relatively ‘clean’, attendees agreed that more needs to be done to address the overflowing trash on a regular basis. As a result, MMRA Board Member and Vice President Samantha Friedland is leading the effort to conduct an assessment of the number, condition, and collection times of current receptacles. She will work with Council District 5 Field Deputy, Thao Tran to ensure city resources are put to use.


Many volunteers at the clean-up shared their vision for a vibrant and thriving boulevard that supports small businesses, has more outdoor cafes, and a median that is lit up like neighboring Beverly Hills or Larchmont, to ensure Wilshire Boulevard is the thriving hub for our neighborhood. While others also expressed concern about the influx of higher-density development and the opening of the subway if trash and other symptoms that can lead to blight are not expeditiously managed. We are interested in getting more volunteer support from our neighbors to collaborate on this topic. If you have an interest in making Wilshire Boulevard all that it can be, contact us so we can hear your ideas. Speak up! Let’s make this happen for our neighborhood! Email us: info@MiracleMileLA.com

Morning meet-up at Wilshire Green (aka ‘turtle park’) with Starbucks & SK Donuts…the teams get ready!
No job was too big for our volunteers! This hard-working volunteer pulled stubborn weeds that not only were unsightly but full of trash. We love our historic Desmond Building and do not want to see it dilapidated but rather restored and stunning, showing its glorious facade. Fill the empty storefronts!
Job well done, volunteers! The El Rey graciously opened up their ticket booth area which provided needed shade. Thank you El Cartel (have you tried their shrimp tacos? Delicious.) & Willow Cafe (a new sandwich shop located street level at the 5455 Wilshire Building – great menu, you must try their club sandwich and cold brews!)