Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, July 21, 2018

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SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 21, 2018 

Busch Gardens: Adolphus 
Busch’s Amusement Park

The Huntington Breaks 
Ground on Chinese Garden

Barger: Stormwater Measure 
Exceeds Requirements, 
Overburdens Taxpayers

 


 Local historian Ann Scheid 
will give a lecture at The 
Huntington Library, July 29 at 
2:30 p.m. about Busch Gardens 
the once-famous theme park, 
which no longer exists except 
in period photographs.

 When German brewing 
magnate Adolphus Busch 
purchased a mansion on 
Pasadena’s “Millionaires’ 
Row” in 1904, the property 
did not include enough land 
for a proper garden. But Busch 
quickly bought up some 60 
additional acres stretching from 
Orange Grove Blvd. down 
to the bottom of the Arroyo 
Seco and developed it into a 
lushly landscaped park. Busch 
Gardens, which opened to the 
public in 1906, featured exotic 
plants, terraced hillsides, a rock 
grotto, waterfalls and ponds, 
and “fairy scenes” drawn from 
the tales of the Brothers Grimm. 
Local historian Ann Scheid will 
give a fascinating lecture about 
this once-famous theme park, 
which no longer exists except 
in period photographs and in 
a few intriguing remnants that 
can still be glimpsed around 
the neighborhood where it once 
stood. 

 The event is free; no 
reservations required, and will 
take place in Rothenberg Hall. 
The Huntington Library is 
located 1151 Oxford Road, San 
Marino. 

 
Supervisor Kathryn Barger 
cast the lone vote Tuesday 
opposing a motion to place 
a measure on the November 
ballot which seeks to increase 
property taxes on residential 
and commercial properties 
to generate approximately 
$300 million a year to fund 
additional stormwater projects. 

 “The proposed initiative far 
exceeds the requirements 
of the MS4 permit which 
governs pollutant levels in local 
waterways,” said Supervisor 
Barger. “The permit is based on 
assumptions that are antiquated 
and require updating before we 
go to the taxpayers for more 
money.” 

 “A California State Auditor’s 
report cites that the Los Angeles 
Regional Water Quality 
Control Board has failed to 
account for the unrealistic cost 
of compliance with the permit 
faced by the county and its 
cities,” she said. “Additionally, 
the added tax liability would 
certainly be passed onto renters 
and would increase already-
high housing costs.” 

 “The Flood Control District 
does a remarkable job with 
stormwater, capturing 90 
percent of runoff from the 
waterways of the Upper San 
Gabriel Valley watershed,” 
Barger added. “While 
clean water and recycling 
and capturing efforts are 
important, the county needs 
to step back and reevaluate 
funding priorities, especially 
considering a recent increase 
in public health fees, a new 
business registration fee, the 
County Library’s structural 
deficit, and a potential ballot 
measure requested by the Fire 
Department to address its 
structural deficit.”

 The Huntington Library, Art 
Collections, and Botanical 
Gardens announced 
Wednesday that, with the 
majority of funding in place, it 
is launching the final phase of 
construction on its renowned 
Chinese Garden, known by the 
poetic name Liu Fang Yuan, the 
Garden of Flowing Fragrance. 
A ceremonial groundbreaking 
is scheduled for Aug. 28, 
with construction expected 
to continue for the next 18 
months.

 The new features will increase 
the garden’s footprint from 
the initial 3.5 acres to its long-
planned 12 acres, making it 
one of the largest classical-style 
Chinese gardens in the world. 
Inspired by the centuries-old 
Chinese tradition of private 
scholars’ gardens, Liu Fang 
Yuan opened in 2008 with eight 
tile-roofed pavilions situated 
around a one-acre lake. In 
2014, two new pavilions and a 
rock grotto were added.

 An exhibition complex at the 
north end of the garden is one 
of the key elements of this final 
phase. Comprising a traditional 
scholar’s studio and an art 
gallery for changing displays, 
it will dramatically expand the 
possibilities for programming 
related to the garden. A new, 
larger café with outdoor 
seating will also be built in this 
northern section (the existing, 
smaller café will be repurposed 
to provide tea and small bites), 
and a stream-side corridor and 
pavilion will offer scenic views. 
At the southern end of the 
lake, a hillside pavilion will be 
situated on the highest point in 
the garden, with a view of the 
Mt. Wilson Observatory in the 
distance. To the west, an event 
space for larger gatherings will 
overlook the lake. Pending 
additional fundraising, a 
courtyard for the display of 
penjing (miniature landscapes 
similar to Japanese bonsai) 
will be built, along with several 
acres of new garden spaces 
linked by winding pathways.

 The garden will remain open 
to visitors during construction, 
with the new sections 
anticipated to open in February 
2020.

 “This is a long-held dream, 
to put the finishing touches 
on a project that has engaged 
thousands of visitors and 
scores of individuals—from 
donors and diplomats to staff, 
scholars, and volunteers,” said 
Steve Hindle, The Huntington’s 
interim president. “The 
Chinese Garden is essential to 
our mission in that it expands 
our research and educational 
programs and provides 
extraordinary inspiration that 
extends across cultures. We are 
profoundly grateful to those 
who have made it possible.”

 Major gifts that have funded 
this final phase include $3 
million from Joy and Matthew 
Lin; $2.5 million from Judy 
Yin Shih and Joel Axelrod; $2 
million from June and Simon 
Li; $2 million from Mei-Lee 
Ney; and $1 million from Helen 
and Joseph Koo.

 As with the earlier stages 
of the garden’s construction, 
this project is an international 
partnership between Chinese 
and American architects, 
contractors, and craftsmen. 
They will work together 
to ensure that the garden 
remains authentic to Chinese 
traditions of architecture 
and landscape design while 
meeting state and federal 
regulations for seismic safety 
and accessibility. Los Angeles 
architect Jim Fry developed 
the detailed construction plans 
for the expansion, based on 
the conceptual designs of the 
Suzhou Institute of Landscape 
Architecture Design in China. 
The Irvine-based construction 
engineering firm of Snyder 
Langston will oversee building 
construction; BrightView of 
Calabasas is the landscape 
contractor. As in the earlier 
phases, Chinese artisans 
from the Suzhou Garden 
Development Co., Ltd., will 
work on site for several months 
to complete important details 
by hand. The specialized skills 
of these craftsmen—wood 
carvers, roof tile experts and 
stone masons—gives the 
garden its authenticity and 
beauty.

 The total cost of this final phase 
is approximately $23 million, of 
which more than $19 million 
has been raised. Fundraising 
continues apace. This brings 
the combined total cost of the 
garden to about $53 million, 
all of which has been raised 
from individual, corporate, and 
foundation gifts.

 For more information visit: 
huntington.org.

 New Features 
Include Pavilions, Art 
Gallery, Café


Sunday Matinee at the 
Walt Disney Concert Hall

 Spend Sunday August 19 
afternoon with friends and 
John Williams, and the Cal 
Phil! Relive some of your most 
cinematic experiences through 
the music of John Williams, 
composer of the most popular 
and recognizable soundtracks, 
who has been nominated for 
over 51 Academy

 Before the concert we will 
have lunch at San Antonio 
winery (see menu below).

Menu (Includes salad, bread, 
dessert, andnon-alcoholic 
beverage):

1) Spaghetti with meat balls or 
sausage 2) Fish of the day 3) 
Ravioli of the day 4) Chicken 
of the day 5) Chef’s special of 
the day Cost: $90 per person

Leave: 10:30 am (Spot Time: 
10:15 am)

Return: 5:30 pm (approx)

Meet at the Recreation 
Department (1560 Pasqualito 
Drive)

Seats may be available beyond 
the reservation deadline July 5, 
if the minimum participation is 
met. Please call the Recreation 
Department at (626) 403-2200 
for more information.


Make a 
Blind Date 
with a Book

 
Don’t judge a book by its 
cover! Visit the Blind Date with 
a Book display in the Library 
and make a date with your 
next great read. Librarians 
have wrapped some of their 
favorite titles in brown paper 
and written personal ad style 
clues to help readers choose 
their blind date book. There 
are a wide variety of titles 
in all genres to satisfy all 
tastes, from humorous fiction 
lovers seeking quirky offbeat 
plots to fast-paced mystery 
lovers seeking a complex and 
compelling sleuth. Participants 
pick a covered book using the 
clues, check it out, unwrap 
and enjoy! Readers can earn 
prizes for participating in Blind 
Date with a Book by writing a 
review on the Rate Your Date 
card included with each book. 
When cards are returned to 
the Library’s Reference Desk 
readers can choose a prize, get 
a coupon for the Friends of 
the Library Bookstore, or be 
entered into an opportunity 
drawing for a surprise gift 
basket. Come visit the Library 
and take a chance on your 
next great reading adventure! 
For more information contact 
the Reference Desk at rdesk@
southpasadenaca.gov or (626) 
403-7350.

South Pas Utility Users Tax 
Financial Analysis Report

 

 According to South 
Pasadena officials, If the 
Measure challenging the 
City’s UUT is approved 
by voters in November, 
the City may be forced to 
cut $3.4 million from the 
municipal budget, resulting 
in significant service 
impacts. The potential cuts 
include layoffs in the police, 
fire, library and community 
service departments, along 
with substantial reductions 
in planned street repairs 
and maintenance, under a 
financial plan approved by 
the City Council. 

 The UUT is a local tax, 
passed by local residents, 
used for local services. In 
2011, a ballot measure was 
approved by a majority of 
voters, reducing utility user’s 
taxes from 8% to 7.5%, 
beginning July 1, 2012, and 
extending the tax for 10 
years.

 Losing UUT funds would 
immediately place many of 
South Pasadena’s services 
at risk. The Library, parks 
and city facilities, all 
recreation and community 
services programming will 
be in jepordy. There will be 
reductions in service and 
elimination of positions in 
all departments including 
in the Police and Fire 
departments. Also, street 
improvement program will 
be significantly impacted by 
the loss of revenue.

 For more information about 
UUT’s and what it means to 
South Pasadena residents 
and businesses, please 
contact the City Manager’s 
Office at (626) 403-7210.

 More information about the 
UUT visit: southpasadenaca.
gov search “UUT Factsheet.”


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