El Sereno Arroyo Playground

Los Angeles | California

What We’re Doing
Transforming a vacant lot into a community park.

Our Goal
Create more green spaces that bring us all outside.

A green space built with the community, for the community.

El Sereno in East Los Angeles has one of the greatest concentrations of children under 10 in the county—but not nearly enough parks or playgrounds to serve them. When resourceful community members saw an opportunity to transform a vacant lot into green space, they turned to Trust for Public Land for help.

The one-acre lot had been a barren eyesore since the 1970s, as it was originally intended to be part of an interstate highway connector that never materialized. Recognizing the lack of open space and play areas, the Concerned Neighbors of El Sereno—a committed group of local residents and businesses—mobilized to turn the property into a vibrant, green hub that everyone could enjoy.

Working with our partners at the City of Los Angeles, we helped turn this wasteland into parkland. This vibrant community gathering space is now within a 10-minute walk of over 3,800 residents—including more than 1,000 children—and features amenities like grassy hills, a new playground donated by PlayCore, a Fitness Zone® outdoor gym for adults, walking paths, picnic tables, mosaics, decorative fencing, and a garden. The Concerned Neighbors continue to support the park and community through volunteer workdays, community activations such as potlucks and art shows, and other resource-sharing opportunities.

About This Project

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Get in Touch With Our California Team

Los Angeles Office

135 West Green Street
2nd Floor
Pasadena, CA, 91105
(323) 223-0441
california@tpl.org

San Francisco Office

23 Geary Street
Suite 1000
San Francisco, CA, 94108
(415) 495-4014
california@tpl.org

Sacramento Office

1107 9th Street
Suite 1050
Sacramento, CA, 95814
(916) 557-1673
california@tpl.org

Guillermo Rodriguez

Vice President Pacific Region, California State Director

california@tpl.org