In October 2017, Harvard-Westlake (“HW”) announced their purchase of Weddington Golf and Tennis, the last 16 acres of undeveloped Studio City land along the LA River.
In announcing the purchase, HW’s press release stated: “Over the next few years, the school will develop the Harvard-Westlake Community Athletics Center, which will offer athletic and recreational opportunities to our students and to the Studio City community.”
HW’s purchase announcement also committed to a “transparent, thoughtful process.”
HW solicited input from board members of the Studio City Residents Association (SCRA) and Save LA River Open Space (SLAROS) and presented both boards with their draft plan for the development project. Our board’s response to HW was:
“We are alarmed and disappointed by the size and scope of the project — and concerned about the magnitude of the potential impacts on the community… As has been stated on many occasions, it is our strong recommendation that the School make its proposals available to the public.”
HW recently shared their development plans with a handful of property-adjacent neighbors, as revealed on Nextdoor. Our boards are deeply disturbed that HW has not yet presented its plans publicly for the entire community to view and provide input.
HW committed to preserving open space and allowing public access under joint use agreements. With proper design, stakeholder input, and careful stewardship, Weddington can remain beneficial to the greater community as an open space asset. Our boards continue to urge HW to make its plans known to the public without delay.