Bicentennial Park in Hawthorne surprised many people in the community after its reopening earlier this month. Located at 13106 Doty Ave., the newly renovated park showcases several family-friendly features after being closed for almost 20 years.

According to KPCC, the Hawthorne park was shut down in the 1990s to prevent “illicit activity,” and it has since been made up of underused tennis courts and a gazebo area.

The one-acre playground was revamped by the City of Hawthorne, the Trust for Public Land, and a local nonprofit From Lot to Spot. This organization is based in Boyle Heights, and the group specializes in flipping vacant or neglected land into active places for the public.

Photo Courtesy of The City of Hawthorne

 The new design took nearly six years to complete but now includes a walking path, a splash pad, colorful mosaic art, and fitness stations. These additions were made after reps asked residents in the community what they wanted to be included. 

Bicentennial Park 2.0 has also implemented climate-enduring improvements such as LED lights, 60 drought-resistant plants, and water-filtering bioswales. The plan is for the park to stick around for a long time.