A new 13-mile regional trail opens in South Los Angeles, connecting various parks to the Pacific Ocean and providing additional opportunities for residents to enjoy outdoor recreation during a pandemic.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, parks and trails have become very popular destinations for people seeking respite and opportunities to exercise and be active. To the delight of Angelenos, a new trail has opened in Los Angeles County, offering yet another recreational option. The 13-mile Park to Playa Trail connects the Baldwin Hills Parklands to the Pacific Ocean via the Stocker Corridor, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Stoneview Nature Center, the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, and Ballona Creek Bike Path.
The trail does not just physically connect various communities and parks to the Pacific Ocean, it also offers residents opportunities to connect with nature and with each other.
In its entirety, the trail represents a $23 million investment in outdoor recreation for the Baldwin Hills and surrounding communities. An additional $20.5 million was invested in new amenities along the trail, including in the development of the Stoneview Nature Center, Milton Street Park, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tree Grove, as well as the transformation of the community center at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area into a state-of-the-art Interpretive Center in addition to a variety of other accessibility, habitat restoration, and recreational improvements within the parklands.
FULL STORY: Building a Bridge from Baldwin Hills to the Beach: 13-Mile Trail Now Open
Transformation of South Los Angeles Park Offers Hope to the Community
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Park in Willowbrook has been transformed with $70 million worth of improvements, including a 20,000-square foot event center for community gatherings and events.
Creativity Needed to Meet Recreational Needs During a Pandemic
With COVID-19, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation modified its popular Parks After Dark program so that it could still meet community needs, while complying with public health orders.
After the Fires: Challenges and Efforts to Heal LA’s Parks and Trails
The recent LA wildfires have devastated parks and trails, with recovery efforts requiring extended closures, collaborative restoration plans, and community support to address extensive damage and long-term risks like landslides.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research