The two girls are swinging the rest of the playground equipment is behind them.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
It was a joyful morning, July 31, in Pacific Palisades as children and parents came to celebrate the opening of a new playground. Jackie Adams brought her three children, 2, 7 and 9 to try out the new equipment. “This is a big deal,” Adams said. “They lost their park, and now the playground is back. This is progress.”
Even Pacific Palisades Community Council President Sue Kohl chimed in about the playground as she watched kids run around. “I think it is adorable,” she said.
This youngster took her turn on the monkey bars.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Sisters Naomi, 5, and Geneva 4, were practicing on the monkey bars. “I like it,” Noami said about the new equipment.
About the playground, Los Angeles Park Foundation Board Chair David Nickoll said, “We saw an opportunity to do something great.”
Also present was long-time L.A. Foundation Board Member Joe Halper, who was a former City of Los Angeles Rec and Parks Department Board of Commissioners, and a big advocate for Pacific Palisades.
The Palisades Recreation Center was closed after the Palisades Fire. The Fire had destroyed portions of the bocce courts, the large gym, and some of the dugouts. The playground built in sand was still standing.
The Department of Water and Power took over the small gym, used the tennis courts for storage. Residents were not allowed in the park, not even to walk the George Wolfberg Park at Potrero.
Members of PAB argued that residents, even though more than 5,000 residences had been destroyed, needed a place to play and gather. They were successful and DWP moved to a new location.
There are numerous slides at the park and a new play surface.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Then, even though the L.A. City Parks Foundation, a nonprofit, never applied for a grant, it was awarded $1 million from FireAid to replace the playground. Something the City had failed to do in the last 20 years.
The saga of replacing the playground began when this editor was working for the Palisadian-Post. The playground had been built in 1986, when Steve Soborff raised money to replace the old one.
The playground was out of compliance by California standards and not ADA compliant. California Assembly Bill, 1055, required all playgrounds installed between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1999, be updated by January 2000. That never happened.
In 2014, the PAB Board requested help from the City in installing a Universal Playground.
That same year, Rec and Parks General Manager Michael Shull said: “Ideally, playgrounds should be replaced every 15 years. We’re constantly trying to replace them and do about 25 to 30 playgrounds every year.”
The Palisades playground, which had no shade, never made the list for replacement.
Shull toured the Palisades Recreation Center, four years later. Afterwards, he stayed for the PAB meeting and heard that the top two projects listed for this park were replacing the playground and fixing the bathrooms. The City never fixed the playgrounds or the bathrooms.
Now some parents are complaining that the depictions of fire trucks, an ambulance and a police motorcycle are triggering for children after the Palisades Fire. Parents argue they should have been consulted about the final playground project.
The kids playing today ran from swing to a “merry-go-round” to the motorcycle to try everything out and were all smiles.
Park Director Jasmine Dowlatshahi (in white) cuts the ribbon to officially open the playgroung
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
A little after 11 a.m., Palisades Rec Center Director Jasmine Dowlatshahi said, “let’s do the ribbon cutting and then we’re going to play!”
When you’re next in town, stop by and let the kids check out the new slides, swings and other equipment. While your there, check with Dowlatshahi about the upcoming rec schedule, which includes pickleball in the small gym.
The outdoor basketball courts at the Rec Center have been resurfaced and there are new hoops.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN