Could a New Park Be Coming to York Boulevard?

The lot at the northeast corner of York Boulevard and Avenue 50 has for years stood vacant, considered by many a bad real estate investment because of its past life as Steve's Gas Station.

However, now some community members are hoping the blighted plot of land can be transformed into a public park.

A pair of meetings, hosted by Councilman José Huizar (CD14) and Living Streets L.A., are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks to develop an action plan for developing a park at the plot.

The meetings are scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, and Monday, June 27. Both will held at 5010 York Blvd., the former location of El Chapin Restaurant.

Zenay Loera, the northeast area director for Councilman Huizar's office, said community members will be asked to suggest what they'd like see included in the park during the first meeting and then help to create the design during the second meeting. 

Finding funding will also be a critical part of planning the park, Loera said. She said the city would need to both purchase the land, which is currently being advertised for sale by it's current owner, and pay for an extensive remediation of the its gasoline steeped soil.

Loera said the city could apply for grants through California Prop. 84, which was established in 2006 to fund waterway and natural resource protection, water pollution and contamination control and state and local park improvements.

Community members who are interested in participating in the planning effort can get more information by calling Huizar's Eagle Rock field office at (323) 254-5295