Rio de Los Angeles State Park 4.21

Rio de Los Angeles State Park is a California State Park along the Los Angeles River north of downtown Los Angeles in the neighborhood of Cypress Park. The 247acre park includes restored wetlands featuring native plants as well as sports fields, a children’s playground and a recreation building. Rio de Los Angeles State Park is currently managed in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation.HistoryThe park was built on Taylor Yard, a brownfield abandoned freight-switching facility used by the Union Pacific and later the Southern Pacific railroads from the 1920s until 1985. Wildlife slowly began re-inhabiting the area and through the 1980s, 1990s, and early-2000s, the abandoned Taylor Yard served as a dirt-track for motorcyclists and off-road enthusiasts and became locally known as "Camelback". In the early-2000s an effort was begun to transform the abandoned wasteland into a recreation area. The property was eventually purchased by the City of Los Angeles and demolition of the abandoned train terminals begin. The rail-lines connecting the Taylor Yard to the Union Pacific Railroad were torn out, the corroding train terminals where trains once loaded and unloaded tons of freight were demolished, and the concrete on the ground was removed by hand. Toxic waste left over from the work done at the Taylor Yard had to be systematically removed and treated before it would be deemed safe for public use by the city. After months of demolition and work done by conservationist groups, Rio de Los Angeles State Park was opened on April 21, 2007. It is located at 1900 San Fernando Road.