MacArthur Park to get a makeover thanks to new grant funding

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has granted the city of Los Angeles a total of $3.9 million. These grants, announced by Mayor Karen Bass' office, are set to support multiple projects, including the iconic MacArthur Park. 

About $500,000 will be given to the Department of Transportation as it works with Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez's office to examine the feasibility of reconnecting MacArthur Park, which is located at 2230 W. 6th in Hernandez' 1st District, covering northwest and north of downtown Los Angeles. 

Wilshire Boulevard cuts through the park, splitting it in two. One solution proposed has been to build a pedestrian bridge with the grant money across the boulevard. 

"Reconnecting MacArthur Park will bring L.A.'s first major pedestrianized street to one of our most densely populated neighborhoods," Hernandez said in a statement. "This community-led project will restore the park to its original state before it was cut in two during the 1930s and will be a major step forward in addressing the historic inequities that impact the surrounding area."

Some people against the idea of the pedestrian bridge say the money should be used to house the homeless who sleep in the park on a regular basis. 

Approximately $2.9 million of the funding will be used to bolster the city's Housing Department, facilitating the strategic use of city-owned land to develop affordable housing. Mayor Bass stressed the importance of maximizing housing production on infill public lands and working collaboratively with public agencies to address the homelessness crisis.