LOS ANGELES — Today, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, alongside community members and City leaders, announced the completion of Phase 1 of her Reconnecting MacArthur Park initiative, a community-driven effort to explore reconnecting MacArthur Park by reimagining the stretch of Wilshire Boulevard that currently divides the park in two.
The milestone marks the completion of a year-long planning, engagement, and technical analysis process led in partnership with Central City Neighborhoods Partners (CCNP), the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The Phase 1 report reflects extensive community engagement, transportation analysis, and concept evaluation, laying the foundation for the project's next phase of conceptual design and environmental review.
"MacArthur Park has always been more than a park. It is a gathering place, a neighborhood landmark, and the heart of the Westlake community,” said Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. “Reconnecting the park is one part of our broader commitment to invest in this neighborhood and create public spaces that are safer, greener, and more welcoming for everyone. Today's announcement reflects what is possible when residents, community partners, and City agencies come together around a shared vision for the future of MacArthur Park."
A Community-Led Effort to Reclaim Public Space
Originally known as Westlake Park, MacArthur Park was designed as a unified public space in the late 19th century before Wilshire Boulevard was extended through its center in 1934, dividing the park into northern and southern halves. Today, the surrounding Westlake neighborhood faces high pollution levels, limited access to green space, and several streets on the City's High Injury Network.
The Reconnecting MacArthur Park initiative, first announced by Councilmember Hernandez in October 2023, seeks to remove Wilshire Boulevard to reunite the north and south sides of the park as a pedestrian-friendly open space.
The first phase of the process engaged more than 2,500 residents, park users, youth, workers, and community stakeholders through surveys, focus groups, workshops, and public open houses in an outreach effort led by Central City Neighborhood Partners. Community feedback consistently highlighted priorities including safer streets, improved park amenities, more green space, and better access for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders.
"At Central City Neighborhood Partners, we believe the strongest communities are built with people, not for people,” said Eduardo Rodriguez, Executive Director of Central City Neighborhood Partners. “Reconnecting MacArthur Park brought together residents, youth, community organizations, and public partners around a shared vision for the future. This project is about more than reconnecting a park. It is about reconnecting people, strengthening trust, and proving that the best solutions come from the community itself."
As part of Phase 1, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and the project team evaluated five potential concepts for reconnecting MacArthur Park, studying their impacts on traffic circulation, transit operations, safety, accessibility, and neighborhood connectivity. The analysis found that multiple concepts could improve public space and multimodal access while maintaining circulation through surrounding streets.
"The people of Westlake showed up, shared their vision, and made their voices heard—and LADOT listened," said Laura Rubio-Cornejo, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Transportation. “This project belongs to this community, and we are proud to carry it forward on their behalf."
With Phase 1 complete, the project will now advance into conceptual design. Led by the Bureau of Engineering, Phase 2 will include conceptual engineering, environmental review, cost estimation, continued community engagement, and additional technical analysis to refine the project's vision and develop a roadmap for future implementation.
“We are excited to join our City and community partners to celebrate the completion of this first critical phase of the project and the passing of the baton to the Bureau of Engineering,” said Crystal Lee, City Engineer. “We are eager to continue the robust community engagement work done in Phase 1 and to begin developing conceptual designs that bring to life the possibilities of MacArthur Park as a safer, greener and more vibrant space for the community.”
Experience the Vision at Park to Park
To celebrate the completion of Phase 1 and invite residents to experience new possibilities for Wilshire Boulevard firsthand, Councilmember Hernandez announced Park to Park, a two-day open streets community activation taking place July 10-11.
Supported by Metro's Open Streets Grant Program, Park to Park will temporarily close portions of Wilshire Boulevard and transform the space into a people-centered open streets experience featuring walking, biking, community programming, local vendors, and World Cup watch parties.
Park to Park offers residents an opportunity to experience Wilshire Boulevard reimagined as a vibrant public gathering space, demonstrating how streets can be transformed into places for recreation, connection, and community. The activation will help inform future planning efforts as the project advances into Phase 2.
Materials from today’s press conference, including photos, b-roll, and the full Reconnecting MacArthur Park Phase 1 Final Report, are available here.