The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors just approved the development of a new pocket park in Walnut Park, one of the most park-poor communities in the county.
According to the 2016 Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment, Walnut Park is a study area with a very high level of park need. To improve park access and address the needs of community residents, the County of Los Angeles will be developing a new half acre pocket park in the center of Walnut Park. As Steven Sharp reports in this article, the park will have a staff office and public restroom building, playground areas, splash pad, an open lawn area, and additional park amenities.
In addition, the park will have stormwater capture elements, including a diversion system and infiltration dry wells to divert and capture both urban and stormwater runoff. These elements will reduce bacteria and metal pollutants from entering the Los Angeles River through the capture of stormwater and urban runoff from a 27-acre drainage area.
The new pocket park is one of several projects featured in Advancing Park Equity in Los Angeles County, which discusses how the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is addressing the needs of very high and high park need communities.
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