While planning and prepping for a comprehensive revitalization of the LA River continues to drag on, little parks along the riverfront (like the ones in Lincoln Heights and Sherman Oaks) seem to be popping up every couple of months. The City Council just approved the latest, the Aliso Creek Confluence Project, which aims to put "a two-acre park, one mile of walking paths, and three-quarter miles of bicycle path and greenway," plus decorative entrance gates and a 100-foot-long mural, on an empty lot where the Aliso Creek meets the LA River in Reseda. The project has been in the works for five years, but it wasn't until yesterday's approval that the $1.5-million in state funding and $225,000 in grants that had already been put aside for the project could be handed over to the Trust for Public Land, which is in charge of the project. With the money secured, phase one of the project—construction on the park—could start as early as spring 2015. When finished, the Aliso Creek Confluence Project will connect to the river's existing bike paths and walkways, adding almost seven acres of green space alongside the LA River.

· Blumenfield Champions And Secures Council Support For New River Park In The Valley [Press release]

· LA River Rising [Curbed Archives]