MacArthur Park Rebuilt

On August 8th Mac Arthur Parks band shell was re-opened to the public with a free concert, the first of 30. Now I first heard of this from the channel 34 spanish news and was dumb founded that I missed out on something this important happening in L.A. for those of you not in the loop MacArthur Park is notoriously know in the Mexican community as the place to go buy fake I.D.s, "mikas." The park is also know for the abundent amount of transients, crack heads, hookers and homeless people it houses giving the park the unique and distinct smell of urine. For years the park has been in decrepid conditions even though it's one of the central hubs for Mexican communities. Families pass through the area everyday on their way to home or school witnessing drug deals in front of them and other illegal transactions I would rather not mention. I remember that my dad would mess with the guys selling fake I.D.s by signaling them and pulling over, then before they can reach the car he would take off hahahahah. The park itself isn't that bad as people make due with what they have and ignore the problems at hand. The lake itself was soo bad that shopping carts, trash barrels and even dead bodies were a common sight. 2 million $ later and some decent police presence have changed all that now. With the cops at hand people dare not do anything in front of them because they're shit scarred of the cops. I have visited the park in the last couple of weeks and noticed little changes like more families around the park than dealers and hustlers. One the places I first lived around was MacArthur Park and to see it change from what it was then to what it is now is gratifying and heart warming. If anything it all started to change around when they build that Homedepo/ food 4 less shopping plaza. the jobs and new stores gave the community new life specially now that new schools are being built around the area to ease the over population of my almamater Belmont. Everytime I pass by the park now I actually feel like just walking around and relaxing ranther than holding my nose wishing I would be somewhere else.