Three miles of Santa Monica Boulevard and Westwood Boulevard closed to cars Sunday, creating a temporary park for cyclists and pedestrians.

CicLAvia – a nonprofit that temporarily closes streets to cars across the city – hosted the event. Hundreds of people walked around the pedestrian hub in Westwood, stopping for food and water, visiting booths advertising nonprofits and public representatives, and exploring the neighborhood.

Street closures were approximately from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m, while the CicLAvia programming lasted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Santa Monica Boulevard was closed from its intersection with Westwood Boulevard to Centinela Avenue. Westwood Boulevard was shut down from its intersection with Santa Monica Boulevard to Le Conte Avenue.

Romel Pascual, the executive director of CicLAvia, said the goal of the nonprofit is to promote civic engagement by encouraging people to get outside and interact with others.

Sunday’s route was on the smaller side of those CicLAvia typically makes car-free, Pascual said. He added that the nonprofit hosted a Heart of LA event, connecting six parts of Los Angeles and stretching 7.15 miles.

This past Sunday was the 65th event held by the nonprofit and its inaugural street shutdown in Westwood, he added. Pascual, a UCLA alumnus, said he was excited to bring CicLAvia to UCLA and the greater Westwood area.

“There’s an ultimate goal outside of economic development, air quality, sustainability,” Pascual said. “It’s literally this notion of connection.”

Pascual said while local business owners and community members were excited about the event, CicLAvia has not always received positive responses to its initiatives.

When CicLAvia first began hosting events, its community outreach efforts were met by questions about why they were closing the street, Pascual said. When local activists first presented the program to him, Pascual said he was skeptical but eventually grew to love the program.

Alexis Salome, an attendee, said he came to the event with his children to help them exert their energy. He added that his family members take all the opportunities they can to bike around LA.

“To be out and about for them (the kids), it’s always a good time,” Salome said.

Closing streets to cars allows LA residents to experience their environment and interact with others, CicLAvia’s Chief Program Officer Rachel Burke said in an emailed statement.

The event provided an outlet for Westwood residents to visit local businesses and spend time with neighbors, while participating in an event that fosters health and sustainability, Burke added in the statement.

Jasmine Jimenez, an attendee, said she attended several CicLAvia events and found them unifying.

“It feels like a great unifier – everyone’s outside, exposed to one another,” she said.

Some businesses in Westwood offered special promotions because of the event. Prior to the event, CicLAvia walked the event route and knocked on business owners’ doors to inform them of the event, Pascual said.

John Sungkamee, the owner of Emporium Thai, said CicLAvia drew bikers into his restaurant. Sungkamee added that he offered a 10% discount on orders Sunday after finding out about the event several weeks prior.

“This event definitely helped the business,” he said.

Michael Russell, the executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, said he enjoys CicLAvia events because they are a special way to experience the city: car-free.

“You see this view of the city and all these people skating and biking,” Russell said. “It was so much fun.”

Contributing reports by Presley Liu, Daily Bruin contributor.