LA considers proposal to close Wilshire Boulevard in MacArthur Park

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The City of Los Angeles is considering a proposal to expand MacArthur Park by removing Wilshire Boulevard from the middle and reconnecting the two halves of the park.

The Westlake park showcases many of Los Angeles's major challenges, including substance abuse, homelessness and mental health issues.

"It's really dirty. It's not properly maintained especially the pond over there. I feel the birds are sick. I don't feel safe at all," said BB, a parkgoer who didn't want to share her last name.

The city has tried several projects to help residents feel safer in the area. In 2021, the park closed down for two months, underwent $1.1 million in repairs and got 24-hour surveillance cameras.

Since then, there has still been crime in the area. A business owner was shot in front of his nearby bookstore in April, and a body was found in the park's lake in June.

"MacArthur Park is the overdose epicenter of the city of Los Angeles and it's something we can't turn away from," Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez said.

The next solution on the table is closing Wilshire Boulevard, which has split the park in half for nearly 90 years. The road runs from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles. If this plan moves forward, about four acres of the road would be swallowed up by the park and would no longer be a through street.

"This reconnection is about social justice. It addresses racial discrimination, environmental injustice and unequal health and educational outcomes," LAUSD School Board Member Rocio Rivas said. "The lack of access to parks and green spaces has impacted urban communities."

Some people from the area are concerned about the traffic the road closure may cause, but many say they support the proposal if it makes the park cleaner and safer.

"It's not just about making sure the people here are housed, but also about bringing the community back into the park and making sure everybody has access to this park," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.

The city will close the MacArthur Park stretch of Wilshire Boulevard periodically beginning next year to examine the impact it could have on neighboring streets.