WILSHIRE : Face Lift Work on Hancock Park Starts

Work began last week on a $5-million renovation of Hancock Park, the green space between Wilshire Boulevard and 6th Street that links the George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Although construction is not set to begin until next year, workers have begun clearing away dead trees and shrubbery, said Mark Rodriguez, assistant director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, which oversees the Page Museum and is responsible for the park’s upkeep.

Planned enhancements include a new fence around the perimeter of the park, an amphitheater, an outdoor cafe, a picnic area, a decorative water fountain, open space for public art, improved security and lighting, new vegetation and irrigation.

The funds to refurbish the park come from a $540-million county bond measure approved in 1992 for the improvement of county parks and recreational facilities.