LA County Parks and Recreation is excited to be planning Phase III of the Compton Creek Trail project. The project will include a .75-mile multi-use trail along the western bank of Compton Creek.  The new trail will run parallel to the Compton Creek Walking Path Phases I & II that are located along the eastern bank of Compton Creek from 118th Street to El Segundo Boulevard. Proposed Phase III improvements include decomposed granite, drought-tolerant landscaping, stormwater BMPs for water collection and filtration, and amenities such as seating, signage, improved fencing, decorative access gates, civic art elements and gateways at 118th Street, 120th Street and El Segundo Boulevard. Once Phase III is completed, the community will have 1.5 miles of connected urban trail along Compton Creek.  

We’re excited to be working with Studio-MLA and Willowbrook Inclusion Network. Studio-MLA is an award-winning landscape architecture studio that creates places that inspire human connection, unites communities and restores environmental balance through ‘Advocacy by design.’ Willowbrook Inclusion Network (WIN) is a community planning and workforce development social enterprise non-profit bringing much needed investment and programs to Willowbrook.

We hope you’ll consider joining the Compton Creek Trail Community Team by coming to future activations!

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Our next community design workshop is: 
Saturday February 22nd  |  11 am - 1 pm
George Washington Carver Park — Community Room
1400 East 118th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059. 

We’ll celebrate the finalization of “The Timeline Trail” design concept and co-create the fence art components of the project. Call or message Willowbrook Inclusion Network at (424) 465-1158 to be added to the outreach list.

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Also, look for neighborhood improvements along 120th Street and Wilmington Avenue as part of the Monuments Project led by our partners at WIN, who are working with LA Commons and USC School of Architecture! 

On November 23, 2024 community members and partners gathered for the first design workshop. The community participated in a series of activities that documented their site analysis, landscape design ideas and Willowbrook pride. The workshop ended with Studio-MLA leading a discussion on two (2) initial concept designs for the project: “The Timeline Trail” and “The Creek Connector.” There was general positive feedback from the community about activating the new trail in Willowbrook with art, trees and flowering plants. Workshop participants also expressed their desire for safe community spaces and asked that the trail design incorporate more safety measures.

“The Timeline Trail” concept sparked an exciting dialogue about how to curate the historical themes to more closely reflect the dynamic history of the Willowbrook community. This concept uses the linearity of the creek to its advantage. In this concept, the trail itself is a timeline, mapping three historical eras important to the history of Willowbrook: Pre-Colonial, Mission/Agricultural, and Civil Rights/ Migration. In each portion of the Timeline Trail the plant palette, materials, paving and opportunities for community art evolve along with the change in era. More details can be found in this design board and the images below.

“The Creek Connector” concept aims to foster a relationship with Willowbrook’s eco-cultural history. This design strives to fulfill the community’s desire for educational experiences at the creek by featuring two outdoor classrooms or ‘Living Labs’ where ecology can be witnessed in action. Ecological regenerative systems include California native plant habitat gardens and topography which is shaped to maximize the site’s water retention. More details can be found in this design board and the images below.

Below is a synthesis and documentation of what we learned from the wonderful community members who joined the workshop. During the workshop, neighbors walked part of the project site and noted their thoughts in 25 completed activity books. These books guided folks through a handful of activities that asked participants to analyze the site with all of their senses, prioritize trail amenities and design the Robin Street Entry area. Folks also participated in a group mural exercise where community members drew symbols or wrote words that described what they love most about Willowbrook. The community brainstormed 50 story telling symbols! 

In August of 2024, the project team began community engagement at the Willowbrook Art Hop. They tabled at the event where they introduced the project and a community survey to gain early insights about the community’s awareness of Compton Creek and their ideas to improve it. Below are some images from the event and an infographic displaying the themes we learned from the Art Hop, community survey and additional discussions with stakeholders.