Santa Anita Ave. & Valley Blvd., El Monte, CA
A SENSE OF PLACE
El Monte Veterans Memorial Park
BEFORE Amigos de los Rios and our community partners built this beautiful park, this location was a neglected space located under and adjacent to the elevated Metrolink tracks along Rio Hondo River channel.
Thousands of cars passed by the site every day along Santa Anita or Valley Boulevards – the site had no landscaping, no signage, and no sense of place even though it was in a prominent location within the City of El Monte.
Honoring those who served
AFTER the creation of the VETERANS MEMORIAL Mini Park the site is clean and well landscaped, with benches and signage – it now has a very specific sense of place. .
The Veterans Memorial Mini Park honors those who have served in the United States Armed Services: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and National Guard. The park also includes beautiful California native plants, a statue of the California Golden Bear decorated by local high school students marking the end of the Santa Fe Trail.
Community Involvement
We invite Veterans to actively engaged in our legacy Emerald Necklace Project. And we honor their service to the community. Jose Juantes is a veteran who regularly attends Emerald Necklace Stewardship events – providing mentorship and leadership to local community members.
In all of its projects, Amigos de los Rios utilizes a holistic approach to conservation that includes the needs of the environment, the economy, and the community. Open space, parks, wetlands, and other types of green infrastructure are critical components to maintaining a high quality of life for urban residents, especially those living in built-out environments like the San Gabriel Valley.
Recreation
The park enables community access to the EMERALD NECKLACE Bike Path part of the Emerald Necklace Trail along two major arterial roads. The beautiful seating area and plantings are a patch of green tranquility and provide a respite from the busy urban environment, giving the visitor a place to reflect and remember proudly the veterans who have served our country.
Natural Infrastructure
Green infrastructure also plays an integral role in furthering environmental efforts aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of residents, especially in regards to air and water quality and habitat conservation and restoration.
Together with our community volunteers we planted over 1000 native and meditreanian trees and shrubs
Key Partners helping to create a greener world
