By Dolroes Quintana
The local government is currently in the process of transferring ownership of the Virginia Robinson Gardens from the county to the city of Beverly Hills as reported by Patch.com. Los Angeles County controlled the property for forty years. The 6.2-acre property and historic estate were left to the county in 1977 by Virginia Robinson, the wife of the late Harry Robinson of Robinson department stores.
Recently, new operating hours and regulations for special events have been implemented to expand public access to the gardens. On March 21, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to explore alternative ways of operating the gardens, which could involve handing over stewardship to Beverly Hills according to LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. As quoted by Patch.com, Supervisor Horvath said, “We know the city of Beverly Hills will be an excellent steward of the property.’ at the ceremony to swear in the new Mayor of the city, Julian Gold.
The mayor is in favor of Beverly Hills taking over stewardship of the property and mentioned that the city is already well-versed in preserving such an estate and dealing with any potential impact on the environment. Gold and Horvath worked as a team to arrange the transfer of the estate to Beverly Hills.
Mayor Gold said at his swearing-in ceremony, as quoted by Patch.com “We should be (stewards of the property) because it is in the middle of the community. We’ll be able to administer it in a way that will preserve Robinson Gardens and all that happens there, but at the same time allow Beverly Hills to control the impacts.”
