RAP Launches Websites, Community Survey, and Announces Community Engagement Meetings for Two of LA’s Most Beloved Parks
LOS ANGELES (June 4, 2026) – The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) has announced the official launch of two new project websites—one for the Elysian Park Master Plan and one for the South Griffith Park Master Plan—kicking off comprehensive planning efforts for two of the city’s most treasured public parks.
Both websites provide community members with access to project information, timelines, and opportunities to engage in the planning process. The website launch coincides with the start of active community engagement for both master plans, with surveys, workshops, and other touchpoints planned in the months ahead. Information will be available in multiple languages, such as Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
The South Griffith Park Master Plan
South Griffith Park encompasses 8.9 acres at the southern edge of Griffith Park—LA’s largest municipal park—and serves as a vital neighborhood hub and gateway to the broader 4,200-acre park system. The area features an exciting range of recreational and cultural elements, including community programs, the Griffith Park Pool, the Los Feliz Nursery School, the Griffith Park Tennis Center, Friendship Auditorium, Sunnynook River Park with connections to the LA River, and adjacent William Mulholland Memorial Fountain.
Its diverse user base spans the full range of Angelenos—from the city’s youngest residents to its oldest.
RAP has engaged Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and their project team to prepare a new Master Plan for South Griffith Park. Guided by community input, technical analysis, and a programmatic Environmental Impact Report, the plan will establish a framework for near and long-term improvements—strengthening the park’s role as both a neighborhood amenity and a gateway to Griffith Park.
The South Griffith Park Master Plan will improve pedestrian safety and connectivity across Riverside Drive and to the LA River, and clarifying key programmatic questions including the future siting of the Griffith Park Adult Community Center (GPACC). The plan will also address long-term ecological resilience and provide a funding roadmap for maintenance and capital improvements.
“South Griffith Park represents a critical gateway into the larger Griffith Park community and this plan will enhance the area’s infrastructure to create better access and a more welcoming Griffith Park,” added General Manager Jimmy Kim. “Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates’ extensive experience and track record lends itself to what we believe will be a very successful master planning process.”
“The potential for the optimization of South Griffith Park as more than a collection of fields, courts, and green patches is tremendous. By organizing these pieces and strengthening connections both within the park and to its surrounding neighborhoods, we can knit together its recreation, culture, and play into a single network of experiences waiting to be discovered and restore South Griffith Park as the gateway to the greater Griffith Park beyond,” said Matt Urbanski, Partner at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. “This is a process grounded in listening, where the community’s voice guides every step. We’re honored to partner with RAP and our fellow consultants in bringing that shared vision to life.”
South Griffith Park First Community “Listening” Virtual Workshop — Wednesday, July 15
The first community workshop for the South Griffith Park Master Plan will be held on:
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
6:00 – 7:30 PM PT via Virtual Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 811 0786 5669
The workshop will:
• Introduce the project and the Master Plan process, goals, and schedule
• Gather community input on ways to improve park access and recreational opportunities
• Share next steps and future in-person opportunities to get involved
Spanish interpretation will be provided. Additional language accommodations are available with 72-hour notice by emailing KPAoutreach@katherinepadilla.
A community listening survey will launch in late-June to gather additional community input to shape the Master Plan and will be available on the South Griffith Park Master Plan website.
The Elysian Park Master Plan
Elysian Park is one of Los Angeles’ largest and most loved public parks, with approximately 595 acres of natural areas, trails, recreational spaces, and scenic views of the Los Angeles skyline. As the City’s oldest park, it has been a place for people to relax, play, exercise, gather, and connect with nature for generations. This planning effort is focused on helping Elysian Park continue to serve the community and thrive for many years to come.
The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has hired Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and their team of consultants to prepare a new Master Plan for Elysian Park. The Master Plan will help guide future improvements and long-term care of the park.
The plan will be informed by the park’s history, current conditions, technical studies, and community input, with a focus on improving environmental resilience and the overall visitor experience while protecting the qualities people already value and enjoy. A community survey is now live and accessible through the Elysian Park Master Plan project website.
“RAP is excited to dive into this extensive planning effort with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates for one of our most notable regional parks in the area,” said Jimmy Kim, General Manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks. “This project will develop recommendations to enhance park and open space resources serving the neighboring Downtown area through a community engagement process that reflects the area’s unique diversity.”
“Elysian Park is an extraordinary public space that provides access to nature and respite from the pace of city life in the heart of Los Angeles,” said Paul Seck, Partner and COO of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. “We’re excited to partner with RAP, collaborate with our talented multidisciplinary team of consultants, and engage community members and stakeholders who know this park best as we work together to shape a shared vision for its future.”
Elysian Park First Community Workshop — Tuesday, August 4
The first community workshop for the Elysian Park Master Plan will be held on:
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
5:30 – 7:00 PM (Doors open at 5:00 PM)
Grace E. Simons Lodge — 1025 Elysian Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The workshop will:
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Introduce the project and the Master Plan process, goals, and schedule
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Share an overview of existing conditions, including current park facilities and programming
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Present initial findings from Research & Analysis
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Gather community insights and aspirations for the Master Plan
Spanish interpretation can be provided at the meeting as needed. Additional language accommodations are available with 72-hour notice by emailing pgarcia@mvvainc.com.
A community listening survey was launched with the Elysian Park Master Plan website in late May. The survey is intended to gather community input to shape the Master Plan.
Project Websites
Elysian Park Master Plan: https://recreation.parks.
South Griffith Park Master Plan: https://recreation.parks.
About City of LA Parks
The Department of Recreation and Parks operates around 500 park sites and 92 miles of trails that cover more than 16,000 acres of land in Los Angeles.
The park system includes some of the world’s most iconic parks such as Griffith Park, Sepulveda Basin, Echo Park, and MacArthur Park, cultural sites such as the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles Zoo, and the Greek Theatre, as well as hundreds of community and neighborhood parks, Venice Beach, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and 12 museums.
Project Team
Each Master Plan project is being led by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and guided by a Steering Committee, City of LA elected offices and staff, government departments, and public input from community organizations, nonprofits, and park users. A Technical Advisory Committee will support decision making for the South Griffith Park Master Plan.
Through a competitive “request for proposal” process, the City selected Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates for both the Elysian Park and South Griffith Park Master Plans. The Elysian Park team includes Terremoto/Test Plot, HR&A Advisors, Toole Design, Sherwood Design Engineers, StratifyX, West of West, ETM Associates, IN-FO.CO, Nous Engineering, Directional Logic, Converse Consultants, Psomas, South Environmental, and GUIDA. The South Griffith Park team includes Toole Design, LOHA, Sherwood Design Engineers, ETM Associates, Nous Engineering, Converse Consultants, Katherine Padilla & Associates, Kimley-Horn, South Environmental, Directional Logic, GUIDA, and PAE.