Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to move forward with a project to create a pocket park in the unincorporated community of Walnut Park. The new half-acre park will transform what is now an empty lot and will include a restroom, office building, playground, splash pad, grassy lawn, and bicycle racks.
“The thousands of families that call Walnut Park home deserve access to beautiful, safe green spaces,” said Supervisor Hahn, whose district includes Walnut Park and surrounding Southeast LA communities. “Parks matter, no matter how small. This overgrown lot has been an eyesore in the area for a long time, but soon we’ll be transforming it into a space that the whole community can enjoy.”
The Walnut Park Pocket Park will occupy a lot located on the corner of Grand Avenue and Pacific Boulevard that has sat vacant for years, and which Supervisor Solis secured when Walnut Park was in her district. Construction on the $9.8 million project is set to start this August, when Supervisor Hahn will hold an official groundbreaking with residents and community partners. The Park has an expected completion date of August 2023.
The LA County Department of Public Works received a record amount of public input and statements of support during the planning process. In addition to the direct recreational and quality of life benefits for residents, the park will include a significant urban and stormwater capture component, a project of the Safe, Clean Water Program funded by Measure W. The underground infiltration well will capture water from an area of more than 31 acres surrounding the park.