Discussion on:

In L.A.'s 'pocket parks,' smart design taking root

Ongoing maintenance.

Small intricate parks like the one shown are high maintenance for their small size.

This concept has been used in east coast cities since the housing bust of the 1980s. Successful urban parks like this depend on 2 items. Simple to maintain designs and neighborhood participation in the ongoing maintenance.

Parks stay cleaner and safer if the neighborhood has a vested interest in keeping a park clean because they are responsible for maintaining it. Peer pressure and self pride are strong forces when used properly.

Another problem with city based maintenance is the long term the financial drain on municipalities from maintaining dozens of small parks. Municipal based maintenance schemes have high long term failure rate on pocket parks. Being a low priority item in most city maintenance plans small parks usually result in overgrown dumping grounds after a few years of municipal neglect.

. . . security!

Way to go LA! Now if more communities would do it the same low cost way, and get the community involved in the maintenance/upkeep, they will last forever.