2017 - 2019
Oasis is one of several rural farmworker communities, predominately Latino, in the Eastern Coachella Valley (ECV). Oasis is a fertile location that gives a great deal to the region, but living conditions there mirror those of poor communities in the global south. Indeed, while Oasis and the other ECV communities collectively generate $430 million a year and provide labor that powers both the agricultural and tourism industries in the West Valley, they do not have access to the basic social, cultural, and recreational amenities their neighbors in Palm Springs and La Quinta have in abundance. The residents of Oasis, numbering nearly 7,000, must travel 20 minutes by car to access public spaces, cultural activities, and other community amenities.
Somos Oasis will be the second Productive Public Space in the Eastern Coachella Valley Public Space Network. The new public space will respect the rural and quiet character of Oasis, bring much-needed amenities to residents, and serve as a catalytic place-making tool to anchor the community. The space will be home to soccer fields, a market place, a community center, and nature exploration areas. The park is designed to artfully manage storm water and integrate desert-adapted and native plantings into the landscape.
KDI is working in partnership with Desert Recreation District and Oasis residents to design the 14-acre Productive Public Space, slated for completion in 2019.