Ballona Creek once meandered through the Ranchos of the Los Angeles Basin. During the rainy season, it would be transformed from a small stream into a torrent carrying the collected water from the watershed area to the Santa Monica Bay. To protect the growing metropolis from potentially devastating flood damage, the Army Corps of Engineers carved it into a large channel and paved it with concrete. While effective in accomplishing the task at hand, the transformation of the creek from a natural waterway into a massive storm drain has broken a link in the ecological chain and severed the connection between the community and the land on which it resides.
Ballona Creek Renaissance (BCR) is a Culver City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the long-term renewal of Ballona Creek and its watershed. In partnership with public agencies, non-profit organizations, schools, businesses and community members, BCR promotes environmental, artistic, recreational and educational projects while respecting the creek's essential role in regional flood protection.
Join us in making a difference, as we, our partners and community members transform an ugly storm drain into a vital habitat for native plants and animals and an attractive resource for education and recreation for walkers, joggers, and cyclists.