The County of Los Angeles is allocating funding to help transform a former foster youth facility into a new community park in El Monte, one of the most park-poor cities in the county.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the allocation of $13.56 million to the MacLaren Community Park project located in the City of El Monte. El Monte is identified as a Very High park need study area in the 2016 Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment. Specifically, the city only has 0.4 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents which is significantly below the Countywide average of 3.3 acres per 1,000 residents.
This funding will help to realize a community vision to transform MacLaren Hall into a greenspace where residents can engage in recreational, educational, cultural and social activities for all ages to enjoy. The proposed park project would offer family-friendly amenities, including (but not limited to): a soccer field, basketball court, tennis court, walking path, fitness areas, restrooms, picnic areas, shade structures, outdoor classroom/performance space, and children’s play areas.
From the 1960s until the early 2000s, MacLaren Hall operated as a county facility housing foster youth for short-term stays. Since its closure, much of the MacLaren property has been walled off and inaccessible to the community, but parts of the facility remain in use with administrative offices for various county departments, a medical clinic, and Alma Family Services.
Read the full article on Planetizen
Author: Clement Lau
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