Making Park Plans a Reality

Los Angeles County implements equity-focused community parks and recreation plans.

1 minute read

April 19, 2021, 8:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Los Angeles, California

Michael Rosebrock / Shutterstock

What is a plan’s worth? How should the value of a plan be determined? Should a plan be judged by the degree to which it is implemented? What good is a plan if it offers a vision that is unfulfilled? These are the types of questions that many planners may have wrestled with during their careers.

In this Parks & Recreation magazine article, park planner Clement Lau explains how the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) plans with equity and implementation in mind, ensuring that its plans prioritize the neediest communities and do not end up just sitting on bookshelves. Examples of such planning documents include the Los Angeles Countywide Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment, Community Parks and Recreation Plans (CPRPs), and the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Master Plan. The article focuses on the implementation of the CPRPs which is well under way, with a multitude of projects at varying scales and stages of development. 

Lau was also interviewed by the National Recreation and Park Association's Open Space Radio. In addition to discussing this article, Lau explains his passion for planning and how he got interested in the field. To listen, please visit this link.

Thursday, April 15, 2021 in Parks & Recreation Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

2 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

3 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

4 hours ago - Bloomberg