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U.S. Department of Interior Awards $15 Million Grant to Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation for Puente Hills Landfill Park Project
Transformational Grant Will Advance Conversion of Former Landfill to Regional Park
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (LA County Parks) was awarded a $15 million grant today from the U.S. Department of the Interior for its project to convert the Puente Hills Landfill into its first regional park in decades.
This grant is part of the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP). With this ORLP funding announced today, the National Park Service (NPS) is investing $254.68 million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks. It is the single largest grant investment from the ORLP.
The OLRP grant to LA County Parks will support the Puente Hills Regional Park Project that is transforming one of the nation’s largest defunct landfills at 1,365 acres into a regional park for residents of Los Angeles County. The new 142-acre Puente Hills Regional Park will serve the most populous county in the nation—and is close to East San Gabriel Valley communities that lack green space and outdoor recreation.
“I applaud the Department of the Interior’s significant $15 million grant to support the transformation of the former Puente Hills Landfill into the Puente Hills Regional Park. This funding is not just a financial boost; it is a profound step toward environmental justice for the San Gabriel Valley,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District, and the leading champion behind this project. “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. This park will provide much-needed recreational opportunities, enhance local biodiversity, and improve air quality—benefits that have long been denied to communities disproportionately affected by environmental hazards.”
Norma E. García-González, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation applauded the grant as crucial funding that continues the work to implement the park’s Master Plan.
“I am grateful for Supervisor Solis and her staff’s effort to secure this funding along with Los Angeles County Parks staff and Studio-MLA. The ORLP grant will help transform the second-largest former landfill to a place of respite and recreation for so many surrounding neighborhoods. The Puente Hills Regional Park will also bring much needed recreation and support critical biodiversity by protecting and restoring habitats and wildlife,” said García-González. “As climate change impacts our county residents and wildlife, this grant enables us to build a more resilient LA County.”
The new grant will assist several planned park features, including:
- Children’s nature play area
- Performance meadow and interpretative gardens
- Ceremonial space designed to honor First Nations and early inhabitants
The funding will be focused on the section of the landfill known as the Western Deck. When completed, this area will feature a Community Core, which will include a children’s nature play area, community amphitheater, art plaza, dog run, and picnic area; the Eastern Horn, which will include a ceremonial space, interpretive gardens, and open grassland; and the Western Horn, which will include a performance meadow, a second meadow, and terrace. Proposed trails and walkways will connect distinct park areas.
About the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation
The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks. It also operates a network of 9 regional parks, 38 neighborhood parks, 20 community parks, 16 wildlife sanctuaries, 8 nature centers, 41 public swimming pools, 23 splash pads, 14 lakes including 3 with swimming beaches, more than 240 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the nation, consisting of 20 golf courses at 18 facilities. The department also maintains four botanical centers: The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens. The department also owns the iconic Hollywood Bowl, and the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, providing County residents with valuable entertainment and cultural resources. Visit: https://parks.lacounty.gov/
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