In December 2003, Amigos planned and coordinated an outreach campaign that generated participation of over 800 residents of the City of El Monte to prepare an application to purchase 4.3 acres of land for a neighborhood park. Children who live in the area and their mothers decorated the chain link fence that surrounds the site with hand-colored paper butterflies and flowers, trees, and other symbols of their hopes and expectations for this park. An overwhelming 220 people participated in a three-hour planning meeting that generated consensus on the park design. Our trained facilitators helped nurture the park advocacy process and guided the positive energy to produce a strong network of community support, participation, and volunteers. The work performed by Amigos was instrumental in winning a very competitive $3 million from the State to purchase the land. Amigos is now assisting the City in raising funds to develop the park that the residents created.
Please view the Slide Show to learn more about this project and the Amigos de los Ríos participatory design process.
