The $77.3 million new park offers unprecedented public access to the water’s edge for the Wilmington community where 18% of the total land area is taken up by oil refineries — almost 3.5 times more space than is dedicated to green space.
As reported by Shane Reiner-Roth, the community of Wilmington recently celebrated the grand opening of a new park called Wilmington Waterfront Promenade. Located along the water’s edge at the Port of Los Angeles and adjacent to Banning’s Landing Community Center, the new open space development features three distinct visitor experience areas: the promenade, the bluff, and the upland expanse. Each area includes unique seating and views of the water, convenient pet stations, drinking fountains and trash/recycling receptacles.
The promenade measures about 1,300 feet in length and incorporates a variety of seating, including swing benches with shade structures, precast terraced tidal seat steps, and a plaza area with additional seats. Connected to the promenade is a new 5,400-square foot public pier with picnic tables over the water, and a 120-foot public floating dock to accommodate visitor-serving vessels.
Above the promenade is the bluff and open space area, featuring swing benches with waterfront views. A highlight of the bluff is a play area, complete with mountaineering ropes, climbing nets, rockers and a custom tower slide. Integral colored concrete and concrete pavers accent the space, with three 45-foot-tall floodlight poles illuminating the area.
The upland expanse features pedestrian and bicycle trails, and seating with elevated views of the Wilmington Waterfront. In terms of landscaping, the park has over 200 pink trumpet, Italian stone pine, Torrey pine and palm trees along with planters featuring California native and drought-tolerant plants.
Sasaki Associates, along with the Port’s Engineering Division, designed the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade project. To learn more about the new park, please read the source article.
FULL STORY: Sasaki completes the nine-acre Wilmington Waterfront Promenade amid heavy industry
Parks for All: LA Looks to Residents to Help Shape Park Equity and Access
Los Angeles is launching a citywide park needs assessment to gather resident input on improving its park system, addressing inequities in access, and making the case for increased funding and long-term investments.
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.
First US ‘On-Shore’ Wave Energy Project Planned for Port of Los Angeles
The technology uses the motion of waves to create energy.
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.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
San Francisco Slow Streets Bucks Citywide Trend, Reducing Injuries by 61 Percent
Low-cost interventions aimed at slowing traffic are making a major impact on road safety.
How Single-Family Conversions Benefit Both Homeowners and Cities
Converting single-family homes to triplexes can ease the housing crisis and offer affordable, flexible options for more households. Why is it largely illegal?
Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification
Lower-income households often lack the resources to buy electric cars, signaling a need for a more holistic approach to improving mobility and lowering transportation costs.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
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