Los Angeles city officials broke ground Thursday on what will be a playground at MacArthur Park, which is expected to provide a space for children and families to gather and play.
Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the First District, which includes MacArthur Park in the Pico-Union area, joined the Department of Recreation and Parks to celebrate the event.
According to officials, the playground will be built in the southwest corner of the park, near the intersection of Seventh Street and Park View.
"Our neighborhoods deserve to be deeply invested in resources and services that support thriving communities," Hernandez said in a statement.
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"This playground will create yet another opportunity to activate the beautiful green space of MacArthur Park for neighborhood children and families. I am grateful for our partners in the city, especially our Parks and Recreation Department, who are bringing this project to life.”
The park will offer several amenities, including swings, slides, a three-dimensional climbing net structure, durable rubber surfacing, benches and more.
The park is bisected by Wilshire Boulevard, and while the northern half has an amphitheater, band, soccer fields, and recreation center, the southern portion consists primarily of the lake and does not contain the same amenities.
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City officials said the park is expected to open to the public by summer 2024.
“There is excitement in the air as construction moves forward on a new playground at MacArthur Park,” said Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Anita Meacham.
“Today, as we witness the transformation unfold, we are not only building a new playground, we are creating a destination where countless shops and treasured memories will resonate in the hearts of this community and generations to come.”
However, families in the area say the park offers no security for visitors.
In some areas, open-air drug use and other activities are often seen, which parents of children who attend a nearby school prefer to avoid.
“What I did to my daughter is cover her eyes, and I told her, 'Don't look at that, daughter, that's ugly,'” said Noemi Morales, a resident of the area. “And if they are going to make a recreation center, they should remove the homeless first.”
The homeless situation can be seen near Alvarado Street.
