Sunday, May 18, 2025

County Touts Rebuilt, Rejuvenated, Reinvigorated Loma Alta As A “Super Park”

Officials talk expanded services and partnerships that extend far beyond traditional recreation offerings

Los Angeles County officially reopened Loma Alta Park on May 17 as what officials are calling a “super park,” emphasizing how the post-Eaton Fire reconstruction has transformed the Altadena facility into something far beyond a traditional recreation space. The designation reflects the park’s expanded role as a community hub offering services typically found across multiple government facilities, from senior care to mental health support.

“Loma Alta Park is a vital gathering place where our community can come together, especially in times of healing,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.

“After the trauma of the Eaton Fire, having a space to reconnect, rebuild relationships, and support one another is incredibly important. Parks like Loma Alta help restore not only our physical surroundings, but our sense of belonging. Social connection is essential to recovery, and this reopening is a meaningful step forward for Altadena.”

The “super park” label stems from an unprecedented collection of partnerships and services now housed within Loma Alta’s boundaries.

Beyond traditional recreation amenities, the facility now operates as a satellite senior center in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disabilities, replacing services lost when Altadena’s senior center burned in the fire. The park also hosts a satellite Altadena library through a partnership with the Altadena Library District.

Recognizing the community’s need for social connections after neighborhoods were devastated and families displaced, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger funded Alta Chat — a new Loma Alta Park meeting place and ‘hub’ for the community to relax and connect. This new space features Adirondack chairs to inspire a much-needed lost neighborhood connection.

The mental health component distinguishes Loma Alta from typical County parks. Through collaboration with the Department of Mental Health, clinicians are now stationed onsite to provide mental health services to those Altadena residents in need. Additionally, a new Our SPOT Teen Center offers daily services to teens aged 12-18 through partnership with the Department of Public Health’s Substance Abuse Prevention Control division.

Childcare represents another crucial expansion. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Office for Advancement of Early Care and Education will provide 100 after-school slots for children ages 5-12, expanding to full-day programming during summer. The program also includes 25 slots for children ages 3-4 through a Tiny Tots program. These services address critical community needs after the Eaton Fire destroyed 34 early childhood education facilities and eliminated 2,802 licensed childcare spaces.

Officials said repeatedly that supporting families and children after the Eaton Fire with childcare continues to be a priority for Los Angeles County Parks after the department ran its Care Camp program.

“Los Angeles County Parks is grateful for the outpouring of support for Loma Alta Park from many generous partners, Supervisor and Board Chair Kathryn Barger, several County Departments, and Los Angeles residents who just wanted to lend a helping hand. We had over 2,000 volunteers from across Los Angeles County sign up in April to help their Altadena neighbors by painting murals, planting trees and shrubs, and enhancing the park,” said Norma E. García-González, Director of Los Angeles County Parks.

The facility’s enhanced recreational offerings also justify the “super park” designation.

FireAid, the January 30 benefit concert, provided a $2.4 million grant to rebuild two fire-damaged playgrounds as part of their ‘Symbols of Hope’ grants. The two new playgrounds from Landscape Structures, with the impressive 3-story play structure that is completely ADA accessible, are the very first structures of its kind anywhere.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation funded two Dodgers fields, which serve as the only baseball fields in Altadena and the first Dodgers Dreamfields in the unincorporated area.

The Los Angeles Clippers Foundation contributed through multiple initiatives. Their Community Clippers Court program funded renovation of the gym and courts, while also supporting a new Jr. Clippers Basketball Program for Altadena youth. In conjunction with Pechanga Resort & Casino, the foundation also provided funding for a new computer lab and tech center that provides a Wi-Fi hub for Loma Alta Park and a full suite of computer services for teens and seniors.

Physical improvements extend throughout the grounds. Thanks to donations from Tree People, the Los Angeles Conservation Corp, and almost a dozen nurseries across the San Gabriel Valley, volunteers planted 44 trees, 32 tree seedlings, 818 plants, and spread 50,000 square feet of mulch. Volunteers also helped paint murals across the park, with additional murals being painted by local artists, such as Victor Ving and his team of artists at Greetings Tour, Eric Junker, Ryan Burch, and Katie Chrishanthi Sunderalingam.

The employment component further demonstrates the park’s expanded mission. Through partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, the facility will provide 15 Altadena youth employment through the Youth@Work program. The department’s funding also helped hire 20 childcare professionals whose jobs or businesses were displaced by the fire.

Additional features completing the “super park” transformation include a reglazed pool now ready for summer use and the relocation of the Altadena Rotary Club’s annual summer concert series from the extensively damaged and closed Farnsworth Park to Loma Alta Park.

“Loma Alta Park was fortunate that none of its buildings burned, which allowed us to move quickly to meet this community need, and now it is ready to better serve Altadena with new and expanded services and facility improvements. The community asked for the park to reopen, and knew we needed to meet the moment. Here we are, as promised, just two months later,” García-González said.

The park’s reopening was celebrated in a daylong Saturday event on May 17 featuring multiple free activities, including a children’s play date with Bob Baker’s Marionette Theater, a ribbon cutting for the new playground with special guest Mickey and Minnie Mouse, a grand opening ceremony for the Dodgers Dreamfields, Jr. Clippers basketball clinic on new Clippers Court, a picnic with local restaurants for a “Taste of Altadena,” pool and swim activities, and a live concert by The Ledbetter Blues & DJ Blac House.