City officials will cut ribbon on Historic Filipinotown gateway with May 7 celebration

City officials will celebrate the new, soaring gateway over Los Angeles's Historic Filipinotown with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 7, kicking off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month.

The gateway's installation over Beverly Boulevard was completed Saturday. It welcomes visitors from the eastern entrance to the neighborhood, rising 30 feet high and spanning 82 feet across the width of the roadway. 

Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O'Farrell, who represents the area, said he was was impressed by the new gateway once it was up.

"This community is so deserving of such an iconic, impressive landmark," O'Farrell said in a statement. "The Historic Filipino Eastern Gateway pays fitting tribute to the incredible contributions of the Filipino community in Los Angeles and beyond."

The monument was designed by Filipino artist Eliseo Art Silva, who created the massive mural at nearby Unidad Park that features prominent Filipinos such as Jose Rizal, with Celestino Geronimo, Jr. It features design elements such as the parol, an ornamental lantern common during Christmas; the Gumamela flower also known as hibiscus, and the Sarimanok — a legendary bird that is a symbol of good fortune in the Philippines.

The ribbon-cutting celebration — which will include food, music, and dance performances — will take place May 7 at 4 p.m. at the intersection of Beverly and Belmont Avenue. Residents interested in attending were urged to RSVP at bit.ly/HiFiGateway.