Construction on the long-awaited Wrigley Greenbelt project will resume this Monday, Nov. 1 after months of uncertainty due to expired permits and expiring grant funds, both of which were secured earlier this year through talks with LA County.
“Obviously, things don’t happen quickly,” Councilmember Roberto Uranga said. “But as long as there’s always a forward movement, that is a sign that things are moving in a very positive direction.”
The Long Beach Public Works Department held a community meeting yesterday, Oct. 26 to update the community on the status and timeline for the project.
“Obviously, this Wrigley Greenbelt open space has been present for many years as sort of an unusable space,” Project Manager Adrian Puyolt said. “So [the project is] restoring this space, preserving it and making it a usable space for the community.”
Park plans include the following:
- A six-foot wide granite walking trail throughout the length of the greenbelt
- New native landscaping with a 3:1 replacement of trees
- A new irrigation system to serve the increased shrubbery and greenery in the area
- Dry stream beds to improve stormwater runoff
- Furnishings like ground benches, ADA-accessible picnic table rest areas and water fountains
The main entrance to the walking path will be on 34th Street, with an additional entrance on Spring Street and 31st Street where the path naturally begins. The greenbelt will not be gated, so residents will be able to enter the park from any side and make their way to the walking path.
The plan does not include additional lighting nor parking beyond that which is available at existing curbs.
As for concerns about illegal dumping and the presence of those experiencing homelessness, Puyolt said, “The idea is—once this area is beautified, that it’s active space—that a lot of those kind of activities will be put to an end. There’s going to be residents constantly in this area.”
Timeline for completion
Residents may notice the presence of the Conservation Corps of Long Beach (CCLB) on the site beginning this Monday, Nov. 1.
The project will continue through the winter, starting with the remaining tree work that was halted earlier this year, such as pruning and removing dead and diseased trees.
Then, Public Works will move on to setting up the irrigation system. Early next year, they’ll begin work on the granite walking path and rock dry swales.
Around or shortly after March, they’ll begin planting additional trees (mainly Engelmann Oak, with lesser numbers of Coast Live Oak, California Sycamore and California Walnut trees, among other native trees).
Public Works will use 15-gallon trees per the requirements of CCLB’s grant funding, which Puyolt said would “adapt to this environment and grow quicker and more healthy than a larger box tree.” The trees are expected to grow between 20 and 30 feet tall in the next ten years, according to Puyolt.
Site furnishings will come last, such as ADA-accessible benches and picnic tables. Puyolt estimated the project would be fully complete and open to the community around May 2022.
Puyolt noted that the planned equestrian center in the middle of the project site (around Spring Street to 31st Street) is being handled by Los Angeles County, but that it is not expected to impact the features of the greenbelt.
He said that work on the equestrian center will begin soon, so construction crews may be on the site at the same time as Long Beach Public Works.
Once completed, the greenbelt will be managed by the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department. Construction will not affect parking in the area, according to Conservation Corps Construction Manager Larry Smith. The Conservation Corps will continue to provide ongoing dust control on the site, he said.
“This is a huge, huge, huge, huge, huge win for our neighborhood. It looks awesome,” said Adam Wolven of the Wrigley Association. “The neighborhood is pumped, speaking on behalf of every single person I’ve talked to.”
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