There have been many things that have changed on the Ocean Front Walk in the last two years since I wrote my last letter to the Beachhead paper. My name is Happy and I stand for the Free Speech Zone. As a performing artist I support the Free Speech Zone 100%. Since the pandemic the Zone has been turned into what can only be called a swap meet when you can sell anything. Almost nothing of art. Myself I make silver jewelry and I string beads into necklaces and I have been banned from selling it on the Ocean Front Walk. I see others selling jewelry bought downtown and brought here to be resold. That was my original responsibility to remove anyone who is not an artist. Then it was called “Regulating”.

Now my music art has also been challenged. It was told to me that there will be no more music between Rose Ave. and Dudley Ave. on the Ocean Front Walk. That there were too many complaints of loud music. I am an original artist that does only original music and I am a member of ASCAP and my music is copyrighted since 2002. I have played here in Venice since 1969 and I have never been told I couldn’t play in the Free Speech Zone along the Ocean Front Walk ever before now. It has become apparent that greed and power have been placed on our beach front and it is disheartening for me to see this. In order to keep our freedom we must continually express it. I cannot express it now.

In the past I helped regulate Venice Beach by not letting anyone sell store bought items here. Only art and music. Now there needs to be a new team set up to regulate if the art is ever to return to Venice beach.

Before I called upon the community to have unity. Now that the community has joined, the new goal should be to bring the artists back to Venice. The performers and the ones doing art. The original reason Venice is so famous is the ARTISTS.

Also it has become unsafe on the Ocean Front Walk due to the new electric scooters and bikes on the pedestrian walkway. Before it was required that you walk your bicycle on the Front Walk. You could get a ticket for not walking your bicycle. Some of these electric scooters can go over 30 MPH. That’s very fast. It is dangerous to see these on the pedestrian pathway.

The last problem I want to cover is the cars that drive down the Ocean Front Walk at night. I witnessed over a dozen cars driving down the walkway. Most turn in at Rose Ave. The one sign on Rose is printed over and the one on the way is not visible. There needs to be a light on the sign so it can be seen from Pacific Ave. at night that is not disturbing to the people who live on Rose. The light can be situated so it can only be seen from far away and not close. Just an idea to help.

Thank you Venice Beach for even hearing me. Thank you Beachhead.

HAPPY IVY