Parks Officials Cancel Runyon Canyon Basketball Court Project

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Parks Wednesday reversed its approval of a project to build a basketball court at Runyon Canyon, after complaints from neighbors that there was not enough public input.

Commissioners approved the project in November, but construction was halted in April, after a lawsuit was filed by the group Citizens Preserving Runyon. The group accused the city of failing to adhere to the proper approval process.

Residents and park users complained that officials did not provide enough notice about the project, which was to be built during the four-month closure of Runyon Canyon to accommodate the repair of old water pipes.

There was also some backlash against the basketball court's design, which city documents initially showed would bear the logo of street apparel company Pink Dolphin, whose CEO Neima Khaila donated $260,000 to the project.

Much of that money was slated to go towards erecting a retaining wall that was built in a space adjacent to the planned basketball court.

Now that the court has been rejected, the city will need to reimburse Khaila to the tune of $210,000, the LA Times reported.

Runyon Canyon Park has been closed since April in order to allow for workers to repair the park's leaking water pipes.

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