Best New Neighborhood Park

Twenty years in the planning, and desperately needed by the city's most densely populated neighborhood, Woh Hei Yuen ("Garden of Peace and Joy") opened in the fall of 1999 following a long legal battle in which the city finally took over the site of Cathay Mortuary by eminent domain. Designed by Asian architects, the park can accommodate hundreds of people at once. Its graceful stone archways, pagoda shapes, and bamboo trees frame a play area made from bouncy soft tiles, a large circular sunken sandbox, benches, and picnic tables. An instant hit with all ages, it adjoins the Woh Hei Yuen recreation building, which has restrooms and classrooms for young children.