SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Amid the gray sidewalks and streets that cover South Los Angeles, three parks offer a place for the community to connect with nature. Located in a low-income area, Gilbert Lindsay Park, South Park and South L.A. Wetlands Park are essential spaces.
According to research from the USC Equity Research Institute, L.A. County residents are three times more likely to live in areas with little or no green space.
“South L.A. Wetlands Park and other green spaces in South Central are extremely important because they provide a much-needed escape from the concrete and traffic that dominate the area,” said Victor Vazquez, a South L.A. resident.
Built in 2012, South L.A. Wetlands Park was funded through Proposition O, passed in 2004 and introduced by former District 9 Councilmember Jan Perry. The land was a Metro maintenance facility before being converted into a park. Today, the park has a stormwater harvesting system that helps recharge aquifers and provides a green space for community prosperity.
A sign in front of South L.A. Wetlands Park (Photo by José Guzmán-Wug)
Green areas like the wetlands promote a healthy lifestyle. From watching ducks and geese walking by every day to turtles basking in the sun, seeing the diverse animals and greenery is good for the mental health of South L.A. residents.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, people who live in cities with less green space have a 39% higher risk of developing a mood disorder.
Ducks walking in South L.A. Wetlands Park (Photo by José Guzmán-Wug)
Organizations such as Barrios Athletics and the South Central Residents Association also use the park for activities like races and community meetings. The constant use of the park allows those involved in these organizations to be aware of the daily issues the park faces. Two people involved in this work are Víctor Vázquez and María Sánchez, who use the park frequently and have seen firsthand how it has evolved since its creation.
“Although the idea was for it to be an important green space for the community, it hasn’t always been properly cared for,” said Vázquez.
Víctor even launched a petition in 2024 to install bathrooms in the park. This petition eventually grew into a public movement and established the “South Central Residents Association,” which focuses on promoting a better life for all residents.
Victor Vázquez and María Sánchez, residents and community leaders in South Los Angeles (Photo by José Guzmán-Wug)
“An important part of our work is ensuring that South L.A. [Wetlands] Park improvement projects reflect the needs and desires of those who live here, and not the interests of outside developers or city officials,” Vázquez said of his organization’s work.
Although she’s only been with the association and other community organizations for a few months, María says she’s learned “that South Central is full of multifaceted people with a great passion for helping.”
All the effort and public involvement ultimately resulted in a surprising announcement by District 9 Councilmember Curren Price — awarding a $4.2 million grant for park improvements.
Fire marks on the abandoned building in South L.A. Wetlands Park (Photo by José Guzmán-Wug)
Víctor and María believe in a strong vision for the park’s future.
“In the next five to 10 years, I hope we demolish this building to build new offices that can host community workshops, a gym, and maybe even a pool,” said Sánchez.
This story was written by USC journalism student José Guzmán-Wug and is a collaboration with Dímelo, a news outlet at the USC Annenberg School for Journalism.
