City officials broke ground Monday on what is being billed as Koreatown’s newest park in more than 100 years.
In a ceremony Monday morning, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, alongside officials from the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Bureau of Engineering, celebrated the future park near the Pio Pico Library.
“The Pio Pico Library Park has been a ten-year long effort in the making, and I am proud to bring this to our beloved Koreatown,” Hutt said in a statement, who represents the 10th Council District, which includes Koreatown.
“This will be the first new park that we have seen in this area in decades, and I am excited to give children and families a new outdoor space to gather, get exercise, and enjoy.”
Located at 694 S. Oxford Avenue, the library opened in October 1923 and has been serving the community of Koreatown ever since. While there is no exact completion date for the project, city officials estimate the park should be ready in two years to offer a green space for residents and visitors.
“The library welcomes everyone, and we look forward to extending that welcome outdoors,” John F. Szabo, city librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library, said in a statement.
“In addition to the improved quality of life, we envision the new park space as a vibrant hub for library programs such as outdoor storytimes for children, teen council meetings and neighborhood science programs.”
The $27 million project is expected to transform an underutilized lot into a 23,200 square-foot park, which will include a new playground, shaded structures, fitness equipment, benches, tables, a walking loop and various landscape improvements, officials said. In addition, the project will bring online a new underground parking structure to accommodate about 50 vehicles.
“I’d like to thank Councilwoman Hutt and the city of Los Angeles for their commitment to beautifying Koreatown and creating the much-needed open-air green space and enhanced library amenities to improve the lives of all children, families, and visitors,” James An, president of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, said in a statement.