Leadership Change at CicLAvia to Target Goal of More Frequent Events

Aaron Paley, the founder of CicLAvia in Los Angeles, announces a change in leadership and describes the future of the game-changing event—a good read for anyone interested in open-streets, cultural events, and urban quality of life.

2 minute read

April 26, 2015, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Christopher Hawthorne gets the scoop on Aaron Paley's to step down as the executive director of CicLAvia and sits down with some in-depth and insightful Q&A about the creation of the event, its current state, and plans for expanding the wildly popular event in the future.

According to the interview, Paley is stepping down to hire a new executive director that can help lead CicLAvia to a sustainable future. Paley even mentions the potential of making the event a monthly occurrence. Paley's words about what CicLAvia will require of a new executive director also speak of the broad impact the event has had, and will continue to have in the future: 

"We're looking for somebody who has an ease or comfort in more than one silo. So yes, it would be great to have somebody who's from the environmental world or who really understands public health or who understands active transportation or an urbanist who understands the way cities work. But we can't have somebody who only understands one of those. The wonderful aspect of CicLAavia is how it touches all these different worlds."

As a truly singular example of a citizen not holding elected office influencing massive change in the way residents and outsiders see Los Angeles, also of note are Paley's words about what the city needs to plan for in the future:

Rick Caruso is planning to rebuild the movie theater in Pacific Palisades that used to be there. It's a neighborhood, but everybody who lives there has to drive to Santa Monica to see a movie. When I look at the quilt of L.A., I want to see that same change, that same investment, in Garden Grove, in Huntington Park. That's the big issue now: Can we help create a very different city, so it's not just these islands of luxury? Can we create a great city everywhere?

[Editor's note: A quick shout out by Paley embedded in the interview hits home for Planetizen. Paley credited urban planner and Planetizen interview subject Jason Neville as the person who suggested that Paley should investigate Ciclovia in Bogota, Columbia as a model for an "linear urban festival" in Los Angeles—another example of the impact that well-informed and passionate planners can have on the future direction of their cities.]

Friday, April 24, 2015 in Los Angeles Times

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.