The COVID-19 pandemic heightened our awareness of the connections between physical and mental health on one hand and both physical activity and social connectedness on the other. This is true at both the individual and community levels, and when indoor gatherings become hazardous to public health, the role of parks becomes paramount. Or as one expert noted during the height of the pandemic, “if a city doesn’t have enough green space for the amount of people who live there, that’s a public health issue.” The importance of accessing open space during the pandemic has also highlighted access to parks as an environmental and social justice issue. The City of El Monte has identified as lacking in open/recreational space for at least six years, as the 2016 Los Angeles County Parks Needs Assessment revealed that the city has less than half an acre (.38) of parkland per 1,000 residents. This falls into the assessment’s “very high need” category and is significantly below the county average of 3.3 acres per 1,000 residents. The affluent community of Malibu, on the other hand, averages 13 acres per 1,000 residents.
Physical activity at parks and open spaces can play a role in population health outcomes, as a sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for chronic diseases and more severe COVID-19 outcomes. Parks, recreation facilities, and sidewalks can promote healthier living environments by allowing for safe and socially distanced recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasing the amount of green space in El Monte, an area ranked as “Highest Need” by the COVID-19 Vulnerability & Recovery Index, can buffer the pandemic’s impact in several ways. By creating appealing outdoor space, residents are encouraged to engage in both physical activity and social connection, two activities that are known to not only decrease the risk of chronic disease, but also improve mental health and cognitive function. By reducing the incidence of chronic disease in the city of El Monte, we reduce the risk of comorbidities that increase the risk of contracting COVID-19 as well of the severity of the disease. Furthermore, the pandemic’s consequences have gone beyond physical health outcomes, with growing numbers of mental health disorders and diagnoses across the population. Spending time outdoors is documented to reduce the incidence of mental health challenges.
Capital Programs is leveraging ARP funding along with additional sources of funds to support the development of a new park in the City of El Monte, one of the highest need areas in the County, according to the Equity Explorer. The area where the proposed park is located is also rated as “Highest Need” by the COVID-19 Vulnerability & Recovery Index. The new park will be located within the campus of the MacLaren Children’s Center, a former residential facility for youth in foster care which operated on the site from the 1960s until its closure in 2003. Since that time, the campus has been closed and inaccessible to the public and is surrounded by a high perimeter wall. The project would include demolition of the existing unused and underused buildings. The MacLaren campus consists of 13.65 acres in total; the new park will be located in the northern section of the property and will consist of approximately 5.3 acres. The new park is intended to serve current and future residents of El Monte as well as nearby communities.
The new park will be located across the street from Twin Lakes Elementary School and approximately one-quarter mile from the San Gabriel River Trail, part of a regional open space/greenway network known as the Emerald Necklace. Repurposing the underutilized MacLaren property will provide the community with recreational and open space opportunities and positions the new park for connection with this regional network of trails and open spaces, in turn promoting non-motorized transportation and healthy lifestyles.
The project involves development of a new community park including the following features:
one regulation-size soccer field with a superimposed softball field
tennis and basketball courts
shielded field/court lighting to minimize spillover lighting for adjacent residences
an event lawn and raised performance pavilion/gazebo
a walking promenade and fitness area
a family gathering/barbeque area and book exchange/chess tables
two play areas (for pre-school and grade school) with rubber surfacing and a water feature
a children’s discovery garden and play mound
a native botanic garden and bioswales
restrooms, storage, and security lighting
This park space will work to improve both the mental and physical health of El Monte residents, equipping them to better weather the pandemic’s ongoing impact and actively contribute to their community’s recovery from the economic impact of COVID-19.
