Grand Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grand Park |
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Civic Center, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Area | 12 acres (4.9 ha) |
| Created | 2012 |
| Designer | Rios Clementi Hale Studios |
| Operated by | Los Angeles Music Center |
| Status | Open all year |
Grand Park is a large, 12-acre (4.9 ha) park located in the civic center of Los Angeles, California. It was first planned in 1966 as the 'Civic Center Mall'. This area had open spaces, fountains, and a special Court of Flags.
Today, Grand Park is part of a bigger plan called the Grand Avenue Project. The first part of the park opened in July 2012. It is a joint effort between the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. The park was designed by a company called Rios Clementi Hale Studios. The Los Angeles Music Center helps manage the park, including events, security, and keeping it clean.
Grand Park stretches between the Los Angeles City Hall and the Los Angeles Music Center. It is made for people to walk around easily. The park connects Bunker Hill to the civic center area. The park has shady sidewalks and plants that don't need much water. It also features an interactive fountain, grassy areas for performances, and places to sit. There are many lights and kiosks to encourage people to explore. Some people compare Grand Park to famous city parks like New York's Central Park or San Francisco's Union Square.
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Park History
A park in this area was first suggested in 1907. This idea came from a landscape architect named Charles Mulford Robinson. He was inspired by the City Beautiful movement, which aimed to make cities more beautiful. However, the park was not built at that time.
Years later, in 1957, the county and city decided to group their government buildings together. They also planned a central park. The park was finished as "Civic Center Mall" in 1966.
Work to update Grand Park started in 2010. This project cost a lot of money. Much of the funding came from a company working on the nearby Grand Avenue Project. The park's later phases included a building designed by Frank Gehry. Due to money problems in the early 2010s, this part of the project was delayed. Construction finally began in 2019. The park and Grand Avenue project moved forward thanks to a special agreement.
Park Management
The Los Angeles Music Center helps run Grand Park. They manage the park's daily operations. Security for the park is handled by the Music Center's security team. Law enforcement is provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In 2014, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved money for a new group. This group, the Grand Park Foundation, helps support the park.
Fun Activities at the Park
Because Los Angeles has sunny weather, Grand Park hosts events all year long. In 2012, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors set aside money for the park's first year. This money helped cover things like security and maintenance. It also provided funds for park programs.
The Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County helps organize these events. This center also manages other famous venues like the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The first event at Grand Park featured a group called Bandaloop. They are a vertical dance company that performs while hanging from ropes. They performed against the Los Angeles City Hall building. In its first six months, Grand Park held about 40 events. Some events were for large crowds, while others were for people just passing by.
The Community Terrace area has a big picnic table. It also has a lawn for gatherings. You can watch videos projected onto the nearby Hall of Records building. The open lawn space is used for big public events. These include New Year's Eve celebrations and festivals.
Getting to the Park
You can easily reach Grand Park using the Los Angeles Metro train lines. The B Line and D Line stop right at the Civic Center/Grand Park station.
The park is also close to the Silver Line's 1st Street/Hill Street stop. Another nearby stop is the Spring Street/City Hall stop. Many local Metro buses also stop near the civic center.
Special Events at Grand Park
Grand Park hosts the United States' "west coast flagship" New Year's Eve celebration. This event is called "N.Y.E.L.A." It was Los Angeles' first free public New Year's celebration. The first one took place from December 31, 2013, to January 1, 2014. This first event had food trucks, art, light shows, and music stages. About 25,000 people attended.
Every year, at 11:55 p.m., a light projection show appears on the side of Los Angeles City Hall. It also lights up other buildings. This show displays visual art before counting down to midnight. The art is created with The LA Music Center. This celebration is meant to happen every year. The goal is for it to become as big as other major city celebrations. Fireworks were added to the 2015-16 celebration. By the sixth annual event (2018-19), over 50,000 guests came to Grand Park's N.Y.E.L.A. This was double the number from the first event. The singer Aloe Blacc performed in 2018–19.
On August 30–31, 2014, Jay Z's Labor Day Made in America Festival was held in Grand Park. Famous artists like Imagine Dragons, John Mayer, and Kanye West performed there.
An Armenian genocide memorial opened in September 2016.
The music video for "Play That Song" by the band Train was partly filmed at the Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain.
On September 22, 2019, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a rally at the park. Around 10,000 Armenian Americans attended.
During the 2028 Summer Olympics, Grand Park will be a venue for some events. These include the marathon, race walk, and road cycling.
Memorials and Statues
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Sakura Grove
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Ukrainian genocide memorial
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Pobladores memorial and map
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George Washington statue
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Christopher Columbus statue (removed)
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Court of Historic American Flags
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Vietnam veterans memorial
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Mosaic law statue
Images for kids
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Plaza view facing east
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Plaza view facing north
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Plaza view facing west
