A lakeside portion of L.A.'s MacArthur Park will temporarily close on Oct. 15 for "much-needed, deferred maintenance," City Councilmember Gil Cedillo said Monday.
The closure will affect the park's south side between Alvarado and Park View streets, Wilshire Boulevard and Seventh Street, with an estimated run of 10 weeks. That portion of the park is presently occupied by about 200 people experiencing homelessness.
Cedillo's office began outreach to the MacArthur Park community in January, according to a spokesperson. They have been offered transitional housing in hotels and motels in Downtown L.A. through the Project Roomkey intiative.
The closure has drawn significant criticism from city housing advocates, comparing it to the closure of Echo Park in March, which prompted protests and reports of police violence.
MacArthur Park Neighborhood Council Board Member Tom Bellino said last month that the L.A. Police Department told neighborhood the council that the park would be reclaimed "much like with Echo Park."
"I will not stand by while another 'Echo Park' happens here," Bellino said.
In September, KNX reported that only four of Echo Park's homeless residents were ultimately placed in permanent housing.
Cedillo's office has made efforts to distinguish the MacArthur Park project from the Echo Park closure. The councilmember noted that Echo Park's homeless residents were given "last minute" notice, whereas his office had been conducting outreach to MacArthur residents for 10 months prior. Residents also received a 17-day notice prior to the closure date.
"We want to provide a safe, clean and secure park for all people that come to MacArthur Park to play, relax and enjoy this precious open space that lies in the heart of our low-income neighborhood of Westlake," Cedillo said.
During the closure, the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks will perform repairs to electrical equipment, lighting, irrigation, park furniture and signage, as well as landscaping and paint jobs.
