Project Funded by:
• Los Angeles County Supervisorial District 1 - Supervisor Gloria Molina
• The Rivers and Mountains Conservancy
• City of Cudahy
Cudahy River Park is a gateway mini-park at River Road and Clara Street in the City of Cudahy (5322 Clara Ave, Cudahy, CA 90201). The City of Cudahy had purchased this lot to serve as the entrance to Cudahy Park, facing a second access point to the Los Angeles River Trail.
Designers at North East Trees saw the potential of Cudahy River Park to serve multiple purposes. Not only is it now a miniature urban riparian forest serving as a rest spot for pedestrians and bicyclists coming from the bike path, it is also designed to capture and treat stormwater runoff from Clara Street and River Road Drive's storm drains. Untreated stormwater carrying trash and pollutants which would normally have emptied into the Los Angeles River channel without being treated is now diverted into the park where three infiltration basins under the park allow the water to collect, and slowly soak into the soil replenishing ground water.
Additional runoff during large storms is forced to run through the riparian habitat where it is naturally cleansed before emptying into the channel. This also slows the flow of water, delaying the onset of peak flows into the channels.
Park amenities such as picnic tables, seat walls, bike rack and decorative entry gates and fencing are provided for the use and enjoyment of the community members. Educational and aesthetically pleasing interpretive signage provides the park users with information about the history of the City of Cudahy, the local flora and fauna, and about the Cudahy River Park and its many benefits to the community members.