La Puente Hills Project: LA PUENTE HILLS YOUTH AT WORK COHORT

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

DEO’s Youth at Work program has joined efforts with LA County Parks & Recreation, to provide paid Work Experience for youth that are interested in Landscape Design and Architecture. This program launched on February 9th 2023, placing 15 youth to support the design and launch of transforming the Puente Hills Landfill into a beautiful, community-designed recreational space. The youth that participate in this cohort are working alongside the park design team and subcontractor of LA County Parks and Recreation, Studio MLA. The youth will learn through this work experience opportunity the steps that are involved in park design, how to engage with the community and gather community feedback, analyze outcomes of community events, management of green waste and environmental resources, and park architecture. The design team, Studio MLA and youth will work on phase 1 of the project, which includes the plans and design for the main entrance, entry plaza, visitor center, administrative offices, scenic overlook, picnic areas, children’s nature area, bike skills zone, stair climb, equestrian staging, and community performance space. The new park will be created on 142 acres of what used to be the Puente Hills Landfill (closed in 2013). This park will be the first regional park created in LA County in over 30 years and will improve the quality of life for a local community that has historically been underserved and under resourced. DEO Youth at Work funding will be made available to a cohort of 15 youth that qualify due to their household’s income poverty level and location as all youth will come from the community in which the park will benefit.