While its name might imply otherwise, the unincorporated community of Walnut Park is one of the most park-poor neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, with a lone 4.5-acre green space that doubles as the playground of an elementary school. Starting this summer, that is finally set to change.

Picnic table areaLos Angeles County

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors finalized plans to transform a vacant lot located at 2603-2611 Grand Avenue and 2614 Hope Street into a new pocket park featuring a playground, a splash pad, a lawn, bike racks, restrooms, and office building.

“The thousands of families that call Walnut Park home deserve access to beautiful, safe green spaces,” said 4th District Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose represents Walnut Park, in a news release. “Parks matter, no matter how small. This overgrown lot has been an eyesore in the area for a long time, but soon we’ll be transforming it into a space that the whole community can enjoy.”

The $9.8-million project is set to begin construction in August and open for residents in August 2023.

Shaded areaLos Angeles County

The new green space is also set to include park stormwater capture infrastructure, with funding from Measure W. An underground infiltration well will capture water from a roughly 31-acre area surrounding the park.

Plans for the new pocket park date back to 2019, when a motion from Supervisor Hilda Solis, who then represented Walnut Park, initiated the purchase of the long vacant project site.