Avalon and 54th Street is the location of South LA's second man-made wetland park expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Janae Oliver, a resident of South LA for over 30 years, remembers when she was younger and walking down 54th street in Vernon Central.
“Seeing the dilapidated buildings… it wasn’t encouraging,” Oliver said.
But with a new wetland park opening on Avalon and 54th Street, she feels “the spirit of the community is back.”
The pocket park is just phase one of the nine-acre South Los Angeles Wetland Park, the second man-made wetland in South LA that will aim to capture, clean and recycle storm water.
“In a time when both water and green space is at a premium, this project just makes good sense,” said District 9 Councilwoman Jan Perry at the park's opening ceremony Thursday.
The park is at a former MTA bus yard and across the street from the construction site of a new school. Perry remembers two years ago during the groundbreaking when the site was covered with asphalt, barbed wire, truck and machine parts. Now she believes that the site will “permanently transform our perception of what South LA can be forever.”
The one-acre pocket park, located on Avalon and 54th Street, includes space for recreational activities such as walking and cycling, as well as trees, shrubs, benches and solar powered lighting.
Phase two will include the construction of a rail museum, community meeting space and two viewing bridges that will cross over the wetlands. When completed, the park will capture, clean and recycle storm water. The park is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
“By the end of this year, we will complete the rest of this project that transforms this historic parcel of land into a wetland park that improves water quality in the LA River while providing a green space for residents to enjoy,” said Bureau of Sanitation director Enrique Zaldivar.
The South Los Angeles Wetland Park project has been in the works for five years and is a $26 million investment, Perry said.
“This was funded by Prop 12 and Prop 40 so once again you voted for this,” City Engineer Gary Lee Moore said. “This is your money coming right back into the community.”
Although still not finished, the wetland park attracted many community members to the opening ceremony of the pocket park. Craig Knotts, principal for Celerity Dyad Charter School in South L.A., said he is excited to be able to bring students to the park on the field trips to learn hands on environmental topics and projects.
“These kids don’t have the opportunity to see much outside of where they live… this is actually bringing that nature piece to their community,” Knotts said. “So this is kind of a very groundbreaking inspirational place.”
Barbara Carroll, a 78 year-old resident of Vernon Central remembers her youth as being surrounded by theaters, bowling alleys and parks. Now it’s quite different she says.
“You have no theaters, bowling alleys, nothing for the children,” Carroll said. But the wetland park will change that, she says and will include safety for the children.
The South L.A. Wetland Park is a project put together by various entities including Perry's office, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation and Department of Recreation and Parks.
“It’s really going to be a great place when it’s totally completed, that’s when we’ll see the celebration,” Mark Mariscal, Department of Recreation and Parks said. “But for now through the end of the year come out, enjoy it. It’s not quite a soccer field, this is really a nice passive enjoyable place ... but we’ll get there.”
4/4/11, 2:08 p.m.
I was in the neighborhood today and coudn't find the park. Any hints? 54th and Avalon was where they're building the new high school, it seemed.
Thanks!