Maple Park

CITY HALL — Glendale parks officials are seeking artists interested in incorporating their work into a new look at Maple Park. In June, city officials heralded the Maple Park renovations, which they called a "critical component" of the city's park system because of its location in a south Glendale neighborhood with many high-density housing units. The face-lift to the park's 13,000-square-foot community building will include modernizing the second-floor gym and adding handicap-accessible bathrooms and an elevator.

GLENDALE - Plans to renovate and revamp the much-used Maple Park are at last starting to move forward. The City Council will consider an agreement with Pasadena-based Flewelling and Moody Architects to prepare master plans for the Maple Park revitalization project. The proposed project calls for a major overhaul of the park's community center, construction of a new recreation and gymnasium facility, increased parking, construction of a water feature and a new bathroom building, city officials said.

BRUCE CAMPBELL Glendale's Maple Film Festival kicked off July 8 with an enthusiastic crowd feasting on free hot dogs and popcorn while watching "Miracle," the movie about the U.S. hockey team's triumph in the 1980 Olympics. Three Rotary clubs from Glendale are co-sponsoring the summer family film festival, along with additional sponsorship from Toyota of Glendale, DreamWorks and Glendale Water and Power. Next up on the list of free movies is "Grease," which will be shown at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer will announce today a $3 million grant to help give Maple Park a face-lift. The state will award $130 million for 63 projects under Frommer's Urban Parks Act of 2001, including funds to help pay for a proposed $4.5 million overhaul at Maple Park. The plan, approved by the City Council in December 2003, will renovate the park's community center, including an enhanced senior room, a kitchen, a meeting room, a game room, a social hall, a computer lab and an arts-and-crafts school.

Josh Kleinbaum While her two daughters used a bicycle rack as a jungle gym Monday afternoon, Kareena McClean looked around Maple Park, watching the groups of men huddled around tables, playing cards, backgammon and chess, and the money changing hands. "I've seen fighting," said McClean, who lives near Maple Park but usually takes her kids to Palmer Park, even though it's farther away. "But I think that goes along with the gambling." That afternoon, the McClean children -- Chloe, 5, and Ashley, 3 -- were the only children in Maple Park, which has become a popular hangout for older Armenian Americans.

CITY HALL — With $3 million in state funds on the way and another $1.4 million in city offers, some big changes are on the way for Maple Park. The City Council will vote Tuesday whether to use $3 million from the State Urban Park Act of 2004 for the city's Maple Park revitalization, allowing officials to move on to the next phase of the project — community outreach. "We've been looking at revitalizing the park for a number of years," said Brittney Billoti, city Community Services administrator.

MONDAY 6 a.m. - Community Calendar 7 a.m. - Weaver's Dog House 8 a.m. - Glendale Fire: On Call 11 a.m. - Community Calendar 1 p.m. - Glendale Fire: On Call 2 p.m. - Community Calendar 5 p.m. - Weaver's Dog House 6 p.m. - City Hall in Your Neighborhood: Maple Park 7 p.m. - Holiday Tree Lighting, Perkin's Plaza, City Hall 8 p.m. - Weaver's Dog House 9 p.m. - Glendale Fire: On Call 10 p.m. -...

Gary Moskowitz Penny Carnivals Week will offer a variety of games and activities to Glendale families next week, beginning Tuesday at Maple Park. The annual event is sponsored by Parks, Recreation and Community Services and will take place at three locations over a three-day period. Families are invited to attend events Tuesday at Maple Park, Wednesday at Palmer Park and Thursday at Montrose Park. All events go from 1:30 to 5 p.m. and are open to the public.

Police continue to investigate shooting NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- Police continued Friday to investigate a shooting that resulted in the arrest of two men. A court date is pending for Vardan Mamikony Manoukyan, 44, and Suren Manoukyan, 22, of Glendale, who were being held Friday at Glendale City Jail on $50,000 bail. Police believe the two men shot at another man in the 1000 block of Elm Street about 1:10 p.m. Wednesday. The victim was not found when police were called to the scene but officers located him later in an adjacent apartment building, Glendale Police spokesman Sgt. Kirk Palmer said.

Kudos to City Council member Laura Friedman for her April 2 City Council meeting input critical of Parks and Recreation's lack of designs for Maple Park exercise facilities that exercisers over the age of 50 can beneficially use. I am north of that age myself and, despite the sardonic, “macho-men” snickers of other council members of various ages who challenged Friedman about what she, herself, could do if she '“really tried,” I believe she...

Maple Park Recreation Center in Glendale finally opened its doors Saturday morning, sporting a renovated gym, new meeting and classrooms and even an air conditioner. After a year of work, the badly needed repairs are complete. “It was really old, leaking all over the place. There was damage from the water seepage from the roof, no air conditioning, and the plumbing was shot,” said city project manager Adrine Golnazarian. “This was sorely needed, and the public is going to really appreciate having nice cool rooms and plenty of bathrooms.” Around two dozen children and teenagers from the local neighborhood were eager to get onto the basketball court on the second floor, and city officials could not cut the ribbons fast enough for them.

CITY HALL — Glendale parks officials are seeking artists interested in incorporating their work into a new look at Maple Park. In June, city officials heralded the Maple Park renovations, which they called a "critical component" of the city's park system because of its location in a south Glendale neighborhood with many high-density housing units. The face-lift to the park's 13,000-square-foot community building will include modernizing the second-floor gym and adding handicap-accessible bathrooms and an elevator.

SOUTH GLENDALE — Lomita Avenue resident Margarita Yeroomian was a regular at Maple Park, and so when signs went up announcing an overhaul, the anticipation was palatable. On Thursday, Yeroomian brought her 2-year-old granddaughter Sofia to play at the park when she saw community leaders and city officials gathering to celebrate the groundbreaking of $3.5 million in renovations, featuring an overhaul of the community building. Yeroomian said many of the park's regular visitors had read signs notifying them of the project and were eagerly awaiting the upgrades.

Residents looking to ring in the holiday season are in luck this weekend when a slew of holiday events take place throughout the city. ?If you?d like to get into the holiday spirit, this weekend is your opportunity,? Development Services Director Philip Lanzafame said at Tuesday?s Redevelopment Agency meeting. From Adams Square to Montrose, business districts and other locations throughout the city will be hosting a range of holiday festivities. City officials urged residents to frequent one or more of the events.

The City Council on Tuesday will consider approving plans and specifications for the $4.75-million Maple Park Revitalization Project and opening the bidding process for construction. The project includes full renovation of the existing 13,000-square-foot community building, and an approximate 5,400-square-foot building addition, according to a city report. The expansion will provide larger rooms and an expanded computer lab. Of the $4.75-million in project funding, $3 million is from the state, while $1.75 million comes from the city’s general fund, according to a city report.

CITY HALL — Proposed water-playground projects at two city parks have been put on hold in light of the city’s current water restrictions, officials said Tuesday. The City Council on Tuesday voted 4 to 0, with Mayor Frank Quintero absent, to defer the construction of the water playgrounds at Maple Park and Griffith Manor Park to a future date, but to continue to plan, install and stub out utilities to prepare for their future installation. Officials said it would not make sense to install the water-guzzling equipment at a time when residents are limited to watering their lawns three days a week.

This is the first of a three-part feature story on the life and career of undefeated Glendale boxing phenom Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan. It will run in consecutive installments.   Before the “Nightmare,” there was just a dream. The fame, honor and respect that Vanes Martirosyan has garnered as an amateur prodigy, a teenage Olympian and a professional boxing prospect, and the ultimate glory the fast-rising undefeated welterweight hopes to yet capture as a world title holder — it all started as a gleam in the eye of his father Norik Martirosyan.

MONTROSE ? Hundreds of families played games and snacked on snow cones Tuesday afternoon, paying only quarters to participate in the city?s annual Penny Carnival at Montrose Park. The ninth annual carnival kicked off Tuesday at Montrose Park, and is one of a series that will occur this summer at other city parks. The carnival showcased several games, including ring toss, Plinko and Tic-Tac-Toe, which cost participants just 5 to 25 cents. ?This is so great for the community, especially during these economic times,?

Housing projects open waiting lists Two affordable senior housing projects in the city will be opening their waiting lists through July 22. The Otto Gruber House, 143 S. Isabel St., and the Gardens, 333 Monterey Road, are currently accepting new applications. Both communities currently have no vacancies, but a lottery will be held to place applicants on wait lists. The Otto Gruber House is slated to add another 350 applicants to its wait list, while the Gardens?