Construction Begins on New Park in Playhouse Village

On August 2, the City of Pasadena broke ground on a new park and parking lot located at 701 E. Union St. in Playhouse Village.

Back in 2012, City Council approved the purchase of the Banner Bank property, and $3.15 million of Residential Impact Fees was appropriated for development of the park. The transfer of up to one-half of the Union and El Molino parking lot parcel was approved by City Council for park use in 2019.

Over the past two years, the City’s Department of Public Works staff worked with MIG Landscape Architects, and a group of community stakeholders comprised of residents, business owners, Playhouse Village Association board members, and City Council district representatives to develop the park’s design. Construction commenced following three community meetings, a virtual community open house, and a presentation by the design team to the Recreation and Parks Commission and City Council.

“It’s wonderful to finally see this project underway,” said Mayor Victor M. Gordo. “I’d like to congratulate all who have been involved in this project from beginning. This new park is a reminder that we in Pasadena value open space, and value the look and feel of our city.”

Just over an acre in size, the park will cover approximately two-thirds of the site, while the parking lot will cover the other third. The park itself will feature a shaded children’s play area, a dog run with separate areas for large and small dogs, a large central green grass area, and a restroom building that contains two all-gender restrooms. Designed with safety and security in mind, the park will also feature low shrubs, allowing greater visibility; benches and seating designed to discourage loitering; and ample lighting throughout.

The park’s parking lot has been designed to integrate with the park’s design and will give way to pedestrian traffic from Union Street. The parking lot will have 48 parking spaces, including four electric vehicle-charging stations.

The grand opening of the new park is slated to take place in the summer of 2022.

The park does not have an official name yet. Over the last few weeks, the City encouraged community members to visit their website and submit their own recommendations. From these recommendations, City staff will compile a list of names that meet at least one of the four criteria outlined in the City’s Public Park and Recreation Facility Naming Policy and will share a second survey on September 6 asking the community members to vote for their preferred choice. After votes are tallied and reviewed by the Recreation and Parks Commission, a recommendation of the park’s official name will be presented to City Council for consideration.

For more information about the new park, including design renderings, please visit the official project webpage.