Creating a New Park as a Space of Hope and Healing

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the allocation of $13.56 million to the MacLaren Community Park project located in the City of El Monte. El Monte is identified as a Very High park need study area in the 2016 Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment. Specifically, the city only has 0.4 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents which is significantly below the Countywide average of 3.3 acres per 1,000 residents.

This funding will help to realize a community vision to transform MacLaren Hall into a greenspace where residents can engage in recreational, educational, cultural and social activities for all ages to enjoy. The proposed park project would offer family-friendly amenities, including (but not limited to): a soccer field, basketball court, tennis court, walking path, fitness areas, restrooms, picnic areas, shade structures, outdoor classroom/performance space, and children’s play areas.

From the 1960s until the early 2000s, MacLaren Hall operated as a county facility housing foster youth for short-term stays. Since its closure, much of the MacLaren property has been walled off and inaccessible to the community, but parts of the facility remain in use with administrative offices for various county departments, a medical clinic, and Alma Family Services.



In 2019, L.A. County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and the City of El Monte initiated efforts to engage the community in shaping a new vision for a portion of the MacLaren site. In collaboration, the County and City held a series of in-person and virtual community workshops to solicit public input on the design and programming of the proposed new park. In addition, the County and City convened a Community Advisory Committee of key local stakeholders to guide the design and programming of the new park. The proposed design for the new park was developed through community-driven design processes that included surveys, discussions, and facilitated workshops.