Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) was requested by the Office of Councilwoman Janice Hahn to facilitate a conceptual planning and design project for the proposed San Pedro Welcome Park, a highly-visible, high-traffic entrance to the San Pedro community. Between March 2003 and January 2004, LANI conducted and facilitated community outreach to mobilize and empower community stakeholders and oversee the development of a community-driven conceptual plan. This plan is aimed to serve as a catalyst and guide for the design, development and construction of the San Pedro Welcome Park. A steering committee of local stakeholders selected a design firm, RRM Design Group, to assist them in identifying improvement options for the Welcome Park.

The steering committee's recommendations, widely supported throughout the community, include the following improvement guidelines for the development of the San Pedro Welcome Park in order to clean-up the existing blight, replacing it with an open space that expresses the identity of San Pedro and creates a positive first impression for visitors and local citizens alike. These proposed improvements are the first phase of a larger community vision for the Welcome Park that calls for greening and open space to extend along Gaffey Street connecting the Welcome Park to area trails and parks and, ultimately, to the waterfront, thereby creating a clear and distinctive gateway for the San Pedro community. Several groups are currently identifying funding sources for the development of the Welcome Park.