ProCon.org is a free educational resource for 25 million of people each year, and one of the country’s leading source for civic educational information on a wide range of topics. It’s also a great platform for debating challenging topics regarding education, politics, and technology. This is why we thought it would be a great forum to hold a conversation about the future of the LA River.
For our first collaboration, ProCon.org added a river-oriented question to ProCon.org’s 2018 User Survey. The survey has a range of questions that hit all types of topics, which is perfect for the LA River and our work for the future of Los Angeles. The top topics selected for the survey will be profiled on the site for discussion from the ProCon.org readers. Let’s put the river question on the agenda for discussion!
Click here to take ProCon.org’s 2018 User Survey.
We also asked Cynthia Hirschhorn to share why she wanted to connect ProCon.org and River LA.
Why do you feel it’s important for ProCon.org and River LA to work together?
I feel that working effectively at the civic scale is all about developing productive partnerships. Finding opportunities to align missions that amplify existing resources is a win-win for everyone. ProCon.org brings its expertise and millions of viewers using critical thinking to approach issues and perspectives essential to move forward opportunities we're working on at River LA.
Why is water an important issue to highlight on ProCon.org?
Water is the ultimate common ground issue because it's of vital importance to us all! I believe water is undervalued because it’s freely accessible to most of us until it’s not! If more people understand the water issues in relation to the LA River, it’s possible they would vote to support and engage in developing solutions to LA’s water situation, including options that will secure our water resiliency for future generations.
Previewing the question river question on the ProCon.org’s survey, do you think that public funding should be used to for the transformation of urban rivers into parks and open space?
Parks and open space can contribute to social equity in many ways, from public health to recreation to cultural communication to environmental justice. Healthy and beautiful civic spaces that are essential markers of a civil society are appropriate uses of public funds.
What’s the potential of the LA river’s role in the future of Los Angeles?
The LA River has played a central role in the past and present of LA. The way we shape and use it now will determine the future of Los Angeles. We have the potential to develop this 51+ mile channel of regional watershed into multiple things at once, including a cultural connector, water retention & delivery system, healthy place for all to exercise & play, clean & green transportation corridor, urban agriculture sites, affordable and desirable housing, local and global landmark tourist attraction, etc. The LA River offers truly amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to enhance the Los Angeles experience.
We thought this would be a perfect opportunity to learn how ProCon.org readers felt about a topic that is very important to our work at River LA, public funding for river projects.
Check out their 2018 User Survey and look for the river question.