Construction officially commenced on September 6 for the first new Los Angeles County regional  park in more than three decades.

Groundbreaking ceremony for Puente Hills Regional ParkLos Angeles County

Puente Hills Regional Park, which will be built on land that was once the largest active landfill on the West Coast, sits south of the interchange of the 60 and 605 Freeways in the City of Industry and to the east of Rio Hondo College. Phase 1 of the 140-acre park is being funded by more than $157 million cobbled together from local, state, and federal sources, including the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, the California Wildlife Conservation Board, and a Federal Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant.

“This moment has been more than 30 years in the making. I grew up just a few miles from this site, where we lived in the shadow of the Puente Hills Landfill," said Los Angeles County Supervisors Hilda Solis in a news release. "I remember the smell, the trucks, and the lack of green space. This land was once a symbol of environmental injustice — and now, we are reclaiming it. This groundbreaking is a victory for the people who fought to stop the landfill’s expansion, for the families who deserve access to parks and clean air, and for the next generation who will learn and thrive here."

Groundbreaking ceremony for Puente Hills Regional ParkGary Leonard

The initial phase of the park, which will serve the City of Whittier and unincorporated communities such as Bassett, Avocado Heights, Valinda, Hacienda Heights, and Rowland Heights, is to include: 

  • an environmental justice center (featuring education programming, a maker space, a podcast studio, and educational exhibits on sustainability, redlining, and waste history);
  • an entry plaza; trails;
  • an amphitheater;
  • a nature play zone;
  • an arts plaza;
  • a dog park;
  • playgrounds;
  • restrooms;
  • native landscaping; and
  • parking.

"Nike Hill scenic trail + overlooks"Studio-MLA

Studio-MLA is designing the park, which is described as "celebrat[ing] the region’s natural beauty while incorporating contemporary design elements."

The initial phase of the project is set to open in Fall 2026 - 13 years after the landfill ceased operations. Phase two of the park, which does not have an announced timeline, would add new bicycle facilities, a scenic overlook at Nike Hill, a pedestrian bridge and trail with stairs and slides to scale the hills of the park, additional loop roads and trails, and new gathering spaces.

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