Posted: April 14th, 2008

Chicano Park reflects the struggles, hopes, and triumphs of communities coming together for equal justice, democracy, and livability for all by using parks as organizing tools to bring people together.

Chicano Park was founded on April 22, 1970 — the same as the first Earth Day — when the community of Barrio Logan joined activists to protest the construction of a Highway Patrol station on the 8 acre site. The community had been degraded by the demolition of hundreds of homes to make way for Interstate 5, toxic industries and junkyards, and the lack of community facilities, good schools, jobs, and medical or social services.

Protesters took over the site and faced police and bulldozers for days until negotiations resulted in the creation of the park. The park victory led to the creation of a Chicano Free Clinic, now known as the Logan Heights Family Health Center, and the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.

Public art in the public park includes murals by Latino artists including Victor Ochoa, Mario Torero, Yolanda Lopez, José Montoya, Sal Barajas, Juanishi Orozco, Berenice Badillo, Carmen Linares, and many others portraying social, political and cultural issues. The park was designated an official historic site by the San Diego Historical Site Board in 1980, and its murals were officially recognized as public art by the San Diego Public Advisory Board in 1987. There is currently a movement to have the park listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Chicano Park is an inspiration for the urban parks movement across California and the country including the Heritage Parkscape and other great new urban parks in Los Angeles.