A project intended to convert a 1,365-acre landfill in Puente Hills into the area’s first regional park in decades received a $15 million federal grant, Los Angeles County officials announced Wednesday.
The project known as the Puente Hills Regional Park is intended to transform the nation’s largest defunct landfill into a 142-acre park. East San Fernando Valley residents are expected to benefit from the new green space, according to the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation.
The grant comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, which is part of a total $254.68 million for 54 projects in 24 states for new parks.
“This funding is not just a financial boost; it is a profound step toward environmental justice for the San Gabriel Valley,” L.A. County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, who is spearheading the project, said in a statement. “As we work to transform this site, formerly the second-largest landfill in the country, we are committed to creating a vibrant green space that will serve our residents for generations to come.”
Money is expected to support what is known as the Western Deck, an area that will feature a “community core” with a children’s nature play area, amphitheater, art plaza, dog run, and picnic area.
It will also support the Eastern and Western Horn areas — where a ceremonial space designed to honor indigenous and early inhabitants, gardens and open grassland will be developed, as well as meadows and a terrace. Proposed trails and walkways are expected to connect different areas of the park.
“The Puente Hills Regional Park will bring much needed recreation and support critical biodiversity by protecting and restoring habitats and wildlife,” Norma GarcÃa-González, director of the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation, said in a statement. “As climate change impacts our county residents and wildlife, this grant enables us to build a more resilient LA County.”