We Get Letters: One Arroyo Foundation’s Amazing Work in the Upper and Lower Arroyo

Dear Editor,

I am writing to raise awareness and celebrate the amazing work that is being done by the One Arroyo Foundation in the Upper and Lower Arroyo in Pasadena.

One Arroyo’s mission is to preserve, restore and celebrate the Arroyo Seco. The trail work is complete in the Upper Arroyo and is expected to be completed in the Lower Arroyo in about two weeks. I’m told future upgrades are being considered.

In recent days, I jogged many of the trails around Brookside Golf Course and Rose Bowl adjacent. When I first learned of the proposed restoration and upgrades to this local treasure, I confess that I was a bit reticent. I worried that the work would be overdone and might detract from the natural, rustic, and unfinished feel of the Arroyo and its vast networks of trails.

I could not be more pleased and impressed. I discovered new rock work, an understated pedestrian bridge, removal of unnecessary cement, and sensible trail grading. It is the perfect balance of safety, aesthetics, and the retention of natural beauty.

The partnership between a private foundation and the City is clearly a great formula for the preservation of this iconic space. Not all public–private partnerships are successful but this is one!

Sincerely,

Matthew Bogaard
Pasadena