THE WESTSIDE - It takes time to make things right.
The mess that was left behind on Main Street by the preceding council member was overwhelming, but patience never seems to be part of any political equation.
But now some seven years later, the amount of illegally parked campers, buses and RV’s remains unacceptable to many and frustrating to most.
With Main Street considered a gateway to Venice and the beach, many locals agree that this entry point needs an immediate clean-up.
With the iconic GOOGLE offices in the heart of Venice at 340 Main and other such attractions in sight, the lineup of illegally and permanently parked vehicles is a distraction to the main attraction which is safe and easy access to the boardwalk and ocean.
In 2008 a pocket park was partially funded by a Community Improvement Grant from the Venice Neighborhood Council as board members donated time and energy only to see it destroyed while illegal campers are dumping human waste into the sewer and even one RV blew up!
One local has described the visual deterioration of Main Street as “a progression of decay,” as valuable beach parking is now occupied for the most part by transients, drug dealers and out-of-state individuals who have no business parking overnight, much less for weeks and months at a time.
With Main Street being held hostage for as far back as 2017, city officials should concentrate on making this neighborhood gateway clean, accessible and safe as the 2024 summer season commences.
The pictures here best describe a situation that has gone from bad to worse.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one year resident of Venice who covers the current encampment and RV crisis here in the neighborhood. Have an encampment or RV issue on your street or block? Contact the author via e-mail at [email protected].)
