The Vista Hermosa Natural Park is an urban public park located in Echo Park, Los Angeles, immediately west of Civic Center, Los Angeles. Vista Hermosa Natural Park sits on a former oil field of 10.5 acres (4.2 ha), bounded by Toluca Street and West 1st Street, Los Angeles.[1][2] During construction, the polluted topsoil was removed and replaced, and a ventilation system was installed to control the flow of dangerous gases.[3] The park includes walking trails, streams, meadows, oak savannahs, picnic grounds, a nature-themed playground, and a soccer field.[1]
| Vista Hermosa Natural Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Echo Park, Los Angeles, California |
| Coordinates | 34°03′42″N 118°15′25″W / 34.061720°N 118.257047°W |
| Area | 10.5-acre (42,000 m2) |
| Created | July 19, 2008 |
| Operated by | Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority |
| Status | open |
The $15-million park was opened on July 19, 2008 and was the first to open in Downtown Los Angeles in over 100 years.[4][5] The park is managed as a partnership among the Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of Los Angeles, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).[6] In 2023, the American Society of Landscape Architects gave the park The Landmark Award, praising it for providing recreational space to a working-class neighborhood generally lacking in parks.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Vista Hermosa Natural Park". MRCA. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
- ^ Holland, Gale (2012-08-28). "Vista Hermosa is an L.A. park like no other". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Landmark Award: Vista Hermosa Natural Park". Landscape Architecture Magazine. 2023-09-21.
- ^ Writer, Guest. "Vista Hermosa Natural Park: Exploring Downtown's Newest Open Space". LAist. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
- ^ Watanabe, Teresa (2008-07-20). "New park a sight for sore eyes". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "MRCA River Parks & Projects". MRCA. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
- ^ "2023 ASLA Professional Awards". American Society of Landscape Architects.