Introducing Passive Recreation at Rio Hondo Spreading Grounds

The City seeks to partner with Los Angeles County and the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy to transform 570 acres of spreading grounds that remain dry a majority of the year, into accessible passive recreation space. Reimagining the Rio Hondo Spreading Grounds as a passive recreation amenity offers an opportunity to address the city’s significant park loss and institute multi-use trails, expanded bike network, limited infrastructure, wayfinding and educational signage, native landscaping and wildfire habitat restoration while maintaining water recharge and reclamation operations. As demonstrated with the Anaheim Coves, reimagining flood control and water reclamation infrastructure as areas to incorporate passive recreation in communities that are considered “built out” and may not offer as much land under public control for park space. The Rio Hondo Spreading Grounds Passive Recreation Park concept aligns with the goals of SB 1374, which established the Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Parks district, which looks to activate and revitalize riverways, parks and bike trails while incorporating wildlife restoration and water conservation.