Ground is Broken on 140 Acre Puente Hills Regional Park

Puente Hills Regional Park, set to open in 2027, officially broke ground over the weekend. The project has been nearly 30 years in the making. In 1994, then–Assemblymember Hilda Solis authored AB 2632, requiring landfill operators to reserve part of the Puente Hills Landfill for public park space. The site sits between Avocado Heights, Unincorporated Whittier, and the City of Industry.

Solis, who grew up nearby, recalled the lack of green space in the community. “We would come to what's known as the Bosque del Rio Hondo – it used to have another name. I won't say it,” she joked.

The first phase includes the Environmental Justice Center, featuring classrooms, a maker space, a raptor rescue, solar panels, exhibits, and a podcast studio. Workforce training is already underway, with local high school students gaining experience from design firm Studio-MLA and county agencies.

“I hope that this will lead to a beautiful career, either in landscaping, engineering, or architectural design,” Solis said. “Had it not been for this opportunity, they would not even be thinking about going to a four year university now.”

Funding for Phase One has reached $157.35 million, up from $134 million last November. The EJ Center is Phase 1A, with additional phases still in planning.

Solis, in her last term as Supervisor, has announced she will run for Congress if mid-term redistricting passes. “Even though I may not be in the same office,” she said, “I hope to continue to be a strong supporter, and will do everything in my power to see that that happens.”

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