Fletcher Park

Every community needs green spaces, and El Monte is no exception. Fletcher park is nestled in about as urban a setting as you could imagine: right next to a freeway, a bus access road, building construction, and the Rio Hondo bike trail (which is how I happened passed today.)
Inasmuch as all kids need green places to play, it burned me up to see all the bums and burnouts hanging around here today. Two guys were openly rolling joints with their «medicinal» Rx bottles casually displayed on the picnic table. One homeless dude had his whole life balanced atop a stolen shopping cart– maybe a former resident of the Rosemead overpass homeless village that was recently cleared out? For a Monday, there were a couple of kids playing… Maybe Spring Break came and went for El Monte, or maybe kids just don’t come to this park?
In general, I keep moving when I’m biking through this area. I have never felt unsafe here (south of the 5 freeway on the bike trail is a different story) but I just keep my head down, smile and say hello to everyone, and pedal like heck. Better cardio like that anyway.

A park hidden beneath the freeway pass in a quiet neighborhood of El Monte. The park is secluded and hidden from public view. Has two basketball courts, a playground for the kids, and grass to play ball. Park in the street because you do not want to get locked in. It does look sketchy walking through the long freeway tunnel. When I was younger, you had to worry about running into the «wrong» type of people that likes to chill at the riverbed or beneath the tunnel. I had my own share of trouble going here as a youth. I came back here a month ago to play basketball with a group of friends’ since it is empty most of the time. It was not that bad too me, but none of the other players want to come back again. I grew up here so it is no biggie to me.

A disappointing «park».
First of all, you must go under the freeway 10 bridge to enter. The gates are only open from 3−5pm every day, so you usually can’t drive in here anyway. It’s just a triangular lot of grass, with 1 basketball court, a few playground jungles, a swingset, and some shaded tables.
The parking lot seems bigger than the actual park.
It’s also sandwiched between the roaring 10 freeway, the El Monte Bus station, and the Rio Hondo Bike Way, so it feels dangerous. Apocalyptic, almost.
Only come during the day. And when no other parks are available.

Did not bother getting out of the car, park seemed a bit shady and scary– and unsafe. Relatively small. Would not recommend females going alone.

From now until June, a section of the Rio Hondo bike path is blocked off. And so this park is now worth noting, as the temporary detour takes you onto the sidewalks of Santa Anita Ave and eventually leads you to this park.
Located right next to the 10 freeway, and yet to find the park, you’ll have to go through a series of residential streets. If it weren’t for the detour signs, I’d probably would have gotten lost.
There are gates out front, so pay attention to that if you visit the park otherwise you might get locked in their parking lot. Otherwise you can always park in the residential area and walk in. Or do what I did and bike ride there.
There are restroom facilities, but when I arrived that evening… locked.
There’s one basketball court. A playground for little children. Fairly wide green field. Seems like a nice neighborhood park.