El Monte’s Zamora Park is Finished Rebuilding

Four years after SBLA reported a renovation was coming to El Monte’s Zamora Park, the city has finally accepted the project as complete. 

When visiting then (as this reporter’s first piece for Streetsblog) it felt like another decaying 50+ year old park in the San Gabriel Valley with hot metal play equipment, paint chipping off the restroom walls, and a gloomy wrought iron fence separating the park from the community center.

It wasn’t a dead park then by any means: the great lawn on the park’s west side has long been home to soccer practices for neighborhood kids, and the South El Monte Arts Posse collective put on community programming during its yearlong tenure at the Zamora Art House on the park’s premises. 

Now, the rebuilt park feels refreshed and full of life, without being over-designed. A job well done by the First 5 L.A. and the city.

The walking path is getting lots of use by seniors, kids are enjoying the delightful new playground, people are relaxing in adirondack chairs in the shade, and the basketball courts are in play too – all this on a Tuesday morning. Add in the picnic area, workout stations, and splash pad, and this park is sure to get lively on weekends.

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