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# Great Park Coalition backs draft master plan for Santa Monica Airport site
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/great-park-coalition-backs-draft-master-plan-for-santa-monica-airport-site/
- Published: 2026-10-27T18:59:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-27T18:58:59.000Z
- Author: Maaz Alin
- Tags: Government & Politics, Airport

The Santa Monica Great Park Coalition says it supports the Draft Illustrative Master Plan for the future Great Park, which was unveiled Oct. 17 at the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project's Phase 4 Community Event at Memorial Park Gym.

Hundreds of people attended to explore the plan, walk across a giant floor map, view illustrations of the park's eight districts and share feedback, according to the coalition.

"This was a great day for Santa Monica," said Ann Bowman, a coalition board member. "After years of community advocacy and public engagement, it was thrilling to see this spectacular vision revealed and to witness the excitement of hundreds of residents as they experienced it for the first time."

The coalition's board said the work of Sasaki and the SMAC team reflects what residents repeatedly expressed throughout the city's public engagement process. The board described the plan as a thoughtful, balanced approach that brings together nature, biodiversity, sports, recreation, health, arts, culture and community gathering spaces in eight districts.

"The planning team listened to the community, and it shows," said board member Cris Gutierrez.

Board member Zina Josephs said the park would transform public land now devoted to aviation, which she said is used by relatively few people while burdening surrounding neighborhoods with noise and air pollution. "The Great Park will be an extraordinary public asset for Santa Monica and the entire region," she said.

Board member Patti Braun said the park would be "a place that changes people's lives."

"The tremendous turnout and enthusiasm on Saturday demonstrated how strongly the community values the opportunity to create a truly transformative park," said coalition President John Fairweather.

Fairweather added, "We are proud to support this visionary plan and will continue advocating for every acre to become a world-class Great Park."

Neil Carrey, president of the Santa Monica Airport2Park Foundation, also voiced support. "Support for the Plan and the airport conversion park planning process is an investment in our collective well-being and an investment in the future for generations to come," he said.

The coalition encourages residents to view the plan and give feedback through the Phase 4 Survey at[ ](http://smacproject.com/?ref=smdp.com)[smacproject.com](http://smacproject.com/?ref=smdp.com).

Edited by SMDP Staff