Blumenfield and Project Partners Cut Ribbon to Open New Caballero Creek River Park

Some Tarzana neighbors are not complaining about the new noises coming from a former city parking lot along the Los Angeles River. Just south of Reseda High School, the 1.5-acre site opened this morning as Caballero Creek Wetlands Park. The park entrance is on Lindley Avenue, near Reseda Boulevard.

As park construction neared completion and collection basins began to fill with rainwater, one of the neighbors, Rob Mulein, reported hearing frogs croaking. Mulein reports a diversity of animals are already using the park, including owls and coyotes.

This morning community leaders gathered to cut the ceremonial ribbon on a multi-benefit park that was brought into existence by the work of several city departments and state agencies.

L.A. City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who represents the area, touted the success in reclaiming land that “looked like a junkyard” to create a “gem” as an important step toward turning the L.A. River that “some people considered a drainage ditch… into a linear park like no other.”

Blumenfield has championed new river parks and paths, including the bike/walk path across the West Valley. Blumenfield opened two new river path segments and shepherded a third path project just beginning construction. He also opened a two-acre nature park at the river’s confluence with Aliso Creek, and smaller river greening projects.

This morning, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Chair Miguel Luna also emphasized the importance of the emerging L.A. River linear park. “Conservation… in Los Angeles isn’t just about protecting open space,” stressed Luna, “it really is about restoring nature… about creating spaces in the heart of our neighborhoods, not just in the Santa Monica Mountains.”

Blumenfield is termed out, and in a matter of weeks Barri Worth Girvan will helm the third council district. Worth Girvan attended this morning’s celebration. Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Executive Director Joe Edmiston invited Councilmember-elect Worth Girvan to join him at the podium, congratulated her and urged her to advance greening projects.

The park features extensive native landscaping, including numerous sycamore and oak trees; mature non-native trees were also preserved. The center of the park is a large depressed area – a bioswale – that collects, detains and cleanses rainwater runoff from from a 17-acre area. The west end of the park features a wetlands, fed with treated runoff. The wetlands further improve the water quality while providing habitat.

Human visitors can enjoy nature, picnic areas, walking paths, benches, and interpretive signage.

Using natural and mechanical methods – powered by onsite solar energy – the park cleans polluted runoff, uses it for irrigation, and discharges excess clean water into the river. Last year Streetsblog covered some of innovative water and energy features.

The city is just starting construction on the 2.9-mile segment of the L.A. River walk/bike path that will run along the new park. That project, expected to be completed before the 2028 Olympics/Paralympics, will extend from Vanalden Avenue to Balboa Boulevard.