Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de Leon announced Thursday that nearly $17 million in grants through Prop 68’s Statewide Park Program have been awarded to park projects in Council District 14, including money for the currently under-construction park at the Sixth Street Viaduct.
California’s Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program gives competitive grants to create new parks and new recreation opportunities in under-served parts of California. According to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, it has distributed $1.16 billion to date through four rounds.
De Leon, joined by state legislators Thursday, announced that his district would receive $8.27 million for major renovations to Hazard Park and $8.5 million for the park that will be developed underneath the Sixth Street Viaduct, which is being built to replace the previous bridge that connected Boyle Heights with downtown Los Angeles.
The $588 million bridge, which is expected to be complete in summer 2022, was designed by L.A. architect Michael Maltzan and will resemble a “Ribbon of Light” with 10 sets of arches that light up at night.
A 12-acre park underneath the bridge will accompany the new viaduct and will provide access to the L.A. River, public art, recreational programming and more.
De Leon announced the grants alongside Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles; Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles; Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D- Los Angeles; Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles; Department of Recreation and Parks General Manager Michael Shull and Bureau of Engineering Chief Deputy Deborah Weintraub.
According to the Bureau of Engineering’s plans, the downtown side of the Sixth Street Viaduct park will include a rain garden, planted seating area, a play and performance lawn, a sculpture garden, a meadow, a dog play area, an adult fitness section, cafe and restrooms, a sloped river gateway, an urban forest and terraces.
On the Boyle Heights side, the park’s plans include a skateboard area; a meadow; a picnic area; a synthetic turf soccer field; flexible courts sized for basketball, futsal and volleyball; a play and performance lawn; a children’s play area; a promenade; a landscaped seating area; an adult fitness area; a rain garden; a dog play area and grilling spaces.
