Milton Street Park
A Baldwin Hills Conservancy Proposition 84 Project
The capital improvements for Milton Street Park include, construction of gabion retaining walls to stabilize the slope, pedestrian pathways including stairs and an ADA-accessible ramp, a new gateway, irrigation and native plantings, seating, fencing, bike racks, interpretive panels, and a shade pavilion.
The development of a park at Milton Street has provided an increase much needed open space in Los Angeles. Project benefits include 1) a new recreational amenity (both active and passive) to the public, 2) a new and direct public access point to the bicycle path through the installation of gateways, 3) resolution of user conflicts between bicyclists and pedestrians through the creation of a separate pedestrian path through the park site, 4) incorporation of interpretive elements to heighten awareness and education of the area’s natural resources, 5) new habitat for the area’s animal species through the installation of native grasses and shrubs, 6) improvement of water quality in Ballona Creek, and 7) promotion of infiltration and reduction of impervious surfaces.
The park is be available to area schools to support and demonstrate related curriculum. Marina Del Rey Middle School recently introduced a new “Marine Science Academy” to the curriculum, and uses the park as a plant and wildlife learning tool, since it provides an outdoor classroom, a place for bird and fish watching and studying, and an opportunity for other learning activities for the students. There are educational panels permanently installed at the project site highlighting the area’s coastal resources. The panels allow for the public to become more educated on the BMPs in practice in the park and about local wildlife and habitats. The project’s close proximity to both the natural and urban environments provides opportunities for the public to interact with the creek and to learn about the natural environment around them.
This 1.2- acre linear project site (45’ width by over 1000’ long) was a vacant parcel along northern levee of the Ballona Creek, which is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) facility. The undeveloped parcel was acquired by the Baldwin Hills Regional Conservation Authority (BHRCA) in 2007 for the purpose of creating a linear park. Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) lead the project planning design and construction. The park opened to the public in February 2016.
Project Partners: Baldwin Hills Conservancy, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, State Coastal Commission, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Committee, Baldwin Hills Recreation Conservation Authority
Project Location: Milton Street, Los Angeles, CA 90066
More information:
http://www.mrca.ca.gov/Milton%20MND/Milton%20Street%20Park%20IS-MND.pdf
http://www.swagroup.com/projects/milton-street-park-2/