Reporter: Cynthia Harbott
Alhambra city representatives have officially responded to residents’ growing desire for more recreational areas. A notice published in January announced the city’s decision to establish a new community center, while officials also finalized a construction contract on a previously approved dog park.
Located next to the Alhambra Golf Course, city officials launched a tentative pilot project called “Paw Pup Dog Park” during Fall 2023 to gauge how residents would respond to the proposed civic space. The city surveyed residents about the potential dog park, and after receiving an overwhelmingly positive response, delegates were prompted to secure a permanent location for locals to enjoy.
Michael Macias, Director of Alhambra’s Parks and Recreation Services, explained that the city has already established a contract to begin construction work. However, certain regulatory criteria need to be met before the building process can officially begin.
“We’ve awarded a contract to Horizon Construction, so we’re ready to go,” said Macias. “We have to meet a couple of conditions from LA County Public Health and CAL Recycle. We’re optimistic that we can get these issues resolved by early August or late September so that we can get shovels into the ground.”
Continuing the trend of positive civic space improvement, city delegates finalized a decision to establish a new community center, slated to be located on Shorb Street.
On the Shorb Street property stands what remains of the Alhambra Health Clinic, a registered historic building featuring the remnants of Colonial Revival architecture. Groups such as the Alhambra Historical Society (AHS) and the Alhambra Preservation Group (AGP) voiced concerns regarding the proposed razing of the buildings to establish new facilities, as it could virtually erase one of the few historic landmarks in Alhambra.
A resolution was later reached, one that takes into account the modern demands of Alhambra’s current communities while honoring the city’s rich history.
According to a notice from the city, the project seeks to raze only one portion of the clinic’s building, while preserving and adaptively reusing the northwest portion of the structure.
According to Macias, residents can expect to see an array of new amenities at the community center. “It will have 3500 plus square feet of event space, and a prefunction space outside of that event space,” explained Macias. “It will have meeting rooms and some administrative space, and in addition to that, it’ll have a roof deck on the Eastern wing.”
For Macias, projects such as these are essential for bolstering a sense of community in the city.
“The community center is going to be a great addition because it will allow opportunities for more public meetings, whereas in the past we had shortages of space,” he stated. “It also allows us to house our leisure classes and enrichment programs all in one location.”
Preconstruction plans began on August 12th, and construction will commence after October, following approval from the city council.
