McLaughlin Park

Nestled in a dubious Eastside ‘hood – that’s just a stone’s throw from Little Saigon – sits a two acre park known as McLaughlin Park (MP). MP is not a bad park on its face, but the suspect denizens that inhabit it leave much to be desired. Entering the park, you’re instantly hit with the stench of cigarettes and stale urine, as your ears are assaulted by the tinny sounds of a pocket radio playing in the corner. Local Outdoor Enthusiasts (LOE) and junkies litter the grounds like confetti after a ticker tape parade, as you have to practically step over them to make your way through. The preceding account should be enough for a review of MP, but since I like to be thorough here is a comprehensive list of the amenities:
–Non-​reservable Picnic Tables w/​BBQ pits
–x1 Half-​Court Basketball
–Playground and Tot Lot w/​water feature
–Adequately-​sized grass field – that’s actually in immaculate shape for a CSJ park.
–NO restrooms
–Street parking only
On it’s face MP is a nice, little neighborhood park that should earn my customary 2.5-star rating, but until some of the riffraff is cleared out, there’s no way this gets anything higher than a 1-​star review. To end on a positive note, MP will be getting a new playground in the not-​to-​distant future and it’s surprisingly graffiti-​free. The sounds of construction will probably drive the LOE somewhere else, as they’re usually allergic to work. So, there’s that to look forward to.