Downey’s Brookshire Park Gets a Major Face Lift

By Tammye McDuff 

 

A longtime, popular park in Downey is now officially getting a makeover.

Downey City Council joined with The Los Angeles Conservation Corps; First 5 L.A.; Rails to Tails Conservancy; Dake Luna Consultants and the Better World Group this past Saturday to break new ground for improvements to Brookshire Children’s Park. These companies are also providing generous funding for the improvements.

Brookshire Children’s Park is located at 12520 Brookshire Avenue and currently offers two acres of grassy play areas, swing set, retro play areas and picnic tables. The planned improvements will be garden themed. New play areas will include giant flower climbers, swing riders, new swing set, cattail spinner, shrubs to attract butterflies and a new walking trail of decomposed granite.

As part of the planned improvements, Coca-Cola Leadership Academy planted dozens of trees and shrubs to beautify the park perimeter of fenced areas February 27, 2014.  

Arlene Salazar, Director of Downey Parks & Recreation commented “We are only as healthy as our communities. We are looking for an opportunity to give back. Brookshire Children’s Park is surrounded by numerous apartment buildings that house many of our younger citizens. This park was built in 1971 and has not seen an update since then. Interest in parks and recreation planning is growing as cities become more concerned about health issues and their relationship to leisurely physical activity.”

The groundbreaking event offered healthy snacks as well as arts and crafts for kids. The park renovation is due to be completed June 2014.