Venice Beach Might Get Nation's First 'Great Observation Wheel'
The $1.5 million Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier is going to look like a hamster wheel next to this thing.
It's called a "Great Observation Wheel," and it's manufactured by British company Great City Attractions. Models in Asia, Australia and Europe are up to 60 metes in diameter and generally much more classy-looking than America's Ferris, with futuristic glass pods to sit in and a setup/takedown time of a couple weeks. All very sleek and efficient and, well, Euro.
The Venice Neighborhood Council, along with the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, is looking at setting one up...
... along the Venice Boardwalk, according to a community flyer posted to Yo! Venice. The flyer describes the proposed tourist trap community asset as a "temporary structure" that "sits atop an existing concrete slab."
Unlike that tacky-colored rave ball over in SaMo, the Great Observation Wheel would be lit up all in white, and would of course be burdened with the prestigious purpose of observation, instead of having fun or whatever. Here's the world's largest, in Beijing:
So yeah, the aesthetic kind of clashes with Venice's grungy graffiti appeal (with the occasional shooting!) that draws so many edgy rich people looking for street cred to the neighborhood.
But it's still kind of exciting, right?! If not entirely pressing, in times like these. We can just see it now: Occupy the Great Observation Wheel.
If you do feel strongly about the wheel one way or the other, there's a meeting to discuss it at the Westminister Senior Citizen Facility on Pacific this coming Monday at 6:30 p.m.
[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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