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Saturday, November 18, 2017

Tongva Park and Ken Genser Square, Santa Monica


I was back in the area this time last year and took some time to explore Tongva Park and the adjacent Ken Genser Square. Here's a few photos of this area from the previous post


Ken Genser Square is one acre park in front of the historic Santa Monica City Hall, named after a former mayor of Santa Monica. It's across the street from Tongva Park. 

Pictured above, the fountain at entrance to City Hall - obviously popular with seagulls. 


Santa Monica City Hall was formally dedicated on November 25, 1939. It's an outstanding example of the Public Works Administration (PWA) Moderne style of architecture. 


Place at the entrance. It was after 5pm and the building was closed. 


Beautiful lily pad flowers. These photos were all taken in last December.  


I walked back across the street to Tongva Park. Here's a link to a previous post with additional photos. 


As stated last time, Tongva Park opened in 2013, on a former six acre parking lot. Trees, paths, water features, sculpture, a children's play area, splash pad. Remember the lyrics to the old Joni Mitchell song "they took paradise and putting in a parking lot"? In this case, just the opposite is true. 


The park borders the Santa Monica Freeway, just as it narrows down to two lanes and merges into the Pacific Coast Highway. 



Up against the edge of the park, right where it borders the Freeway, is "Morty," a massive 100 year old Moreton Bay Fig Tree (Ficus macrophylla). 


Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) native to South Africa. This is the "official flower" of the City of Los Angeles. 


A view of the end of the Santa Monica Freeway at the 1935  McClure Tunnel. You can almost, but not quiet, see the end of the tunnel. Here's a link to a previous post with a bit more info. 


There's probably no bad time to visit Tongva Park, but sunset was particularly beautiful. 


Palm trees (another non-native) silhouetted against the setting sun, with one of the park's beautiful fountains. 


This sculpture is apparently also a weather monitoring station. 


The setting sun and the incoming coastal fog made for an beautiful view of the overlook deck. 


Another view of the overlook deck with the reflecting sun at sunset. 


I had more time to explore the surrounding area. More on that next time

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