Nestled in the heart of Pacific Palisades, this small, privately owned park is located on Sunset Boulevard between Swarthmore Avenue and Antioch Street.
In 1972, Standard Oil decided not to renew its lease and the central, triangular property it existed on became available. In less then three months, Palisadians raised nearly $70,000 (a substantial sum of money at that time) to buy the triangle and create the Village Green. The Village Green was formally dedicated August 17, 1973.
Thanks to the generosity of the Palisades community, $46,000 of the funds raised went toward the purchase of the land and the remainder financed the architect and design. A group of prominent Palisadian businesspeople and civic leaders, and Honorary Mayor Bob Abernethy, an NBC News correspondent, spearheaded this effort. They formed the first Village Green Committee.
The Green has an intersecting system of walkways with benches, looming shady trees, flowers and grass, as well as a flag pole and a drinking fountain. Because financing on the project ran out, the large, central fountain was not installed until as recently as 1990. There is also a bus stop to the north of the fountain at Sunset Blvd.
The committee had originally planned to give the Village Green to the City of Los Angeles when it was completed because of the responsibility and cost of maintenance. However, the committee decided to retain ownership. Today, the Green is independently operated by the Village Green corporation and managed by a volunteer board of directors.
The Green is often used as a serene setting for outdoor fundraisers, art shows (such as those hosted by the Pacific Palisades Art Association), and musical events, including concerts during the town's annual "Ho! Ho! Ho!" holiday festival. However, beware the hours when school lets out at Palisades Charter High School, as the Green is often overrun by boisterous crowds of students.