Downey Recreation Center

Play the L.A. River is a come-one-come-all project by the arts collective Project 51 -- a collective of L.A. River-loving artists, designers, planners, writers, educators -- that invites Angelenos to explore, enjoy, reclaim, and reimagine the mighty L.A. River as a grand civic space that can green and connect our communities.

CARD: 4 of Downtown

SITE: 1775 & 1772 Spring Street, Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles 90031

A summer pool, a community park, and rec center. How 'bout we open the gates, tear down the fences, and connect our riverside parks to the river?

As you cross the Broadway or Spring Street Bridge over the river to the real Eastside, you can take a little breather at this quaint little park and recreation center before heading into the heart of Lincoln Heights along Broadway. A few years from now you'll be able to experience a full-on, 6.3 acre, river-adjacent park, with much needed green space, a soccer field, stormwater treatment features, and more. Some nearby residents have proposed a bicycle hub for the park, which would create a gathering space for the nearby communities. Previously the site of a dairy production plant, the Albion Dairy River Park must be completed before the end of 2018, due to stipulations imposed by Proposition 84, which will fund much of its construction. Let's hope that the actual completion will be much sooner than that!

How do you play the L.A. River at Downey Recreation Center? Tell us here.