Bird Island is a special place - a peninsula at the confluence of the Ballona Creek River and Centinela Creek - where birds roost (rest), nest and find food. A wide variety of marine life and estuary species also thrive here.  Bird Island is in the Del Rey neighborhood, a couple of miles from the beach village of Playa del Rey, on the coast of Los Angeles.

Community groups and environmental organizations have long had this space in their visions for a bird refuge, with a sensitively placed trail for outdoor classrooms to learn about nature at this area where the ocean tides visit twice daily and special grasses and other vegetation grow that makes it an ideal sanctuary, safe from predators and human intrusions.  Last year, community leaders were successful in adding this land to California's 30 x 30 list for public acquisition consideration and funding to acquire the land for a bird refuge and outdoor classroom park.

Bird Island is immediately adjacent to the Ballona Wetlands State Ecological Reserve, which was transferred from private ownership to the State of California 20 years ago, and is home to rare and endangered species.

Bird Island is now THREATENED with a huge development that would displace this haven for the birds and for marine life that exists in three tidal zones.

While the community has stood up to past development proposals, while a new City Councilmember was coming in to office - developers took advantage of the new staff being focused on getting organized, and they started building a bridge across Centinela Creek at Beethoven Street.  

They did not have proper permits, and yet, the project has not yet been stopped.  A local scientist who worked for the federal government has inspected the site and has noticed cracks and offsets in the concrete walls where piles are being driven to support the bridge the developers want to build.  These offsets show a weakness in the structure, and point to a public safety hazard, which could cause a catastrophic tragedy.

Now is the time to tell our elected officials - LA City Councilmember Traci Park, LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, LA Mayor Karen Bass and our state and federal elected officials that we need their help to stop this unsafe project that would facilitate a development the community does not want and would harm the birds and other wildlife.  

Save Bird Island!  Stop the Beethoven Street Bridge!