Story Created:
Sep 3, 2009 at 12:33 PM PST
Story Updated:
Sep 3, 2009 at 12:33 PM PST
LYNWOOD — The city will celebrate the grand opening of its brand new Yvonne Burke/John D. Ham Park Sept. 12 at noon. The park is located at 11832 Atlantic Ave.
Members of the Lynwood Sports Association, Recreation Commission, Public Works Department, block watch, and city manager’s office will join Mayor Maria Santillan and City Council members for the occasion.
Residents will get to see both the passive and active sides of the park. The active side features baseball and soccer fields, basketball courts, a tree-covered promenade and a tot lot. The passive side features picnic and open grass areas with earthen mounds adding textures to the otherwise flat park that help form a stormwater quality area. A walking/jogging path encircles the perimeter, with exercise stations along the route.
“This long-awaited park is going to enrich the lives of so many kids and families, especially in a neighborhood that has been neglected in the past,” Santillan said. “There’s been so much interest in walking trails, art and fitness activities from residents, and we believe this park provides just that space.”
In the early stages of the process, a community outreach program allowed residents to walk the site and define top priorities for the city’s second largest park. After combining those goals with what was important to the city, the design team crafted a solution with water efficiency and sustainability at the forefront.
“The city was interested in sustainability, and [we were] able to help them achieve their goals and even take them a step further,” landscape architect Arash Izadi said. “The entire park incorporates sustainable design features, which meet LEED standards, and the second phase is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council.”
At present, the city seeks avenues of funding to begin construction on the second phase.
As a result of the city’s Art in Public Places Program, which was approved in 2006, a bronze sculpture entitled “Children on a Slide,” is set for installment in November. The sculpture belongs to the Randolph Rose Collection.
The new Burke-Ham Park replaces the old Ham Park which is now Firebaugh High School. The new location was chosen to improve a part of the city that had been neglected and featured rundown motels and retail stores.
“Our residents are excited and we can’t wait to see the kids playing on the fields and parents enjoying the many recreational opportunities the park [will] offer,” Santillan said.
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