The City of La Mirada is working on a Master Plan to improve Creek Park. The popular community park sits on about 11 acres along La Mirada Creek. Walking, jogging and relaxing on the grassy banks are favorite visitor activities. Built in the 1970’s, the park is in need of renovations to improve bridge structures, enhance accessibility, and increase lighting. Other opportunities to improve the restrooms and re-naturalize the creek are also being considered.
During a Study Session meeting held on February 13, La Mirada Councilmembers reviewed a draft of the Creek Park Master Plan presented by RRM Design Group, which was contracted for the project. The draft was developed after receiving extensive public input gathered by RRM from public workshops, social media, and visits with residents of the neighborhoods near the park.
The first workshop, “Day at the Park” was held at Creek Park in August and encouraged park visitors to provide feedback on concepts and amenities desired for the project. A second workshop, held in November, provided residents the opportunity to review preliminary design concepts based on data collected from the “Day at the Park” Workshop.
RRM Design Group also developed feasibility studies for the removal of check dams and concrete channels by use of more natural methods to control stormwater flow and proposed design concepts for new bridge improvements. The firm continues to prepare environmental reports for the proposed concept.
Having received input from the City Council and the Community Services Commission, the project will proceed to a regular City Council meeting in the near future for approval of the final Master Plan.
“Parks, trails, and open space add to the quality of life in La Mirada,” says City Manager Jeff Boynton. “Creek Park is an exceptional amenity and we want to ensure it remains a quality park for residents to enjoy.”
Finding the money will be an issue. The cost is estimated at nearly $8.6 million, and the city doesn’t have the money yet, although it does have enough to hire a designer, La Mirada City Manager Jeff Boynton said.
The City Council is expected to approve the master plan and environmental documentation by June of this year, he said.
Once the final design is complete — presumably sometime late this year or early 2019 — the city will go looking for grants, said Boynton, who is optimistic money is available.
“This type of project deals with water, accessibility and energy efficiency,” Boynton said. “There are a number of sources (of grants) for this project.”
La Mirada hired San Juan Capistrano-based RRM Design Group to pencil out a plan to renovate the park because of its age, said Mark Stowell, La Mirada’s public works director. In addition, the park doesn’t meet federal accessibility rules and the flood channel is building up with silt, reducing the amount of water it can hold.
The master plan calls for removing the sediment, replacing the concrete with rocks and creating a series of drops along the channel to slow the speed of water.
The lowest intensity option was chosen in reaction to residents who don’t want a “destination park” with picnic areas and playgrounds, said Mike Sherrod, a principal for RRM. This plan has none of those.
For additional information on the Creek Park Master Plan, call the Public Works Department at (562) 902-2385.
Source & Image Credit: City of La Mirada | Whittier Daily News