LOS ANGELES – At an event earlier today, Mayor Karen Bass, LA Strong Sports, Steadfast LA, and key Palisades groups announced the creation of a public-private partnership that will fund, redesign and rebuild the Palisades Recreation Center. The Palisades Recreation Center, which was partially destroyed and severely damaged during January’s wildfires, previously served as a hub of community and recreational activity for residents in the Pacific Palisades and others across the Westside.
B-roll and photos from the event will be uploaded here.
"The City’s number one pledge has been to eliminate any and every obstacle in the way of rebuilding, and we are forging new partnerships with all sectors as we continue to move Los Angeles forward,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “The Palisades Recreation Center, library and playground are each a vital piece of this community, which is why the City pushed for the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize debris removal at these landmarks. We will continue this progress, and I thank everyone — LA Strong Sports, Steadfast LA and key Palisades groups — for coming together for this new effort.”
LA Strong Sports was formed by JJ and Chelsea Redick, Charles and Jenna Jackson, and Kylee Kilgore late last month to build, sustain and grow top-tier sports and recreation facilities and programs in Los Angeles in the aftermath of January’s wildfires.
“We visited the Pali Rec Center the same day we decided to move to the Palisades. That visit showed us not only how important the park was as a physical space, but how the people and families who took advantage of it made up the beating heart of the community,” said JJ and Chelsea Redick. “We’re proud to formally announce a public-private partnership with the City and these local organizations to rebuild it so it can once again serve as a gathering place for sports and activities.”
“We’ve always felt strongly about taking action to create and support things that allow people to feel rooted and thrive in their communities,” said Charles and Jenna Jackson. “As Palisades residents, we know that the Pali Rec Center made that possible for us and for our neighbors and friends. Rebuilding it alongside these key community leaders so it can serve as a place to foster growth and opportunity is exactly the kind of initiative we’re excited to support.”
Led by Rick Caruso, Steadfast LA launched in February to assemble the expertise, influence, and power of the private sector to expedite the rebuilding of the Los Angeles communities destroyed by the wildfires by cutting through delays, encouraging action, and developing solutions with the brightest minds in real estate, finance, construction, infrastructure, and more. The organization’s coalition includes a number of business leaders, including representatives from Gensler, CBRE, Parsons, Esri, Latham & Watkins LLP, and more, all with experience building some of the most impactful places and spaces in the world.
“This public-private partnership to rebuild the Rec Center with the City and in collaboration with civic leaders, local groups, and industry experts demonstrates the vision of Steadfast LA in action,” said Rick Caruso, Chairman of Steadfast LA. “By bringing the public sector, the private sector, and the community together to do this, we’re not only restoring an integral part of the Palisades, but we’re showing how we can effectively respond to this tragedy with the urgency that the moment demands. We intend to follow a similar approach on our projects in Altadena and Malibu as well.”
In addition to meetings with key community groups and organizations with close ties to the park, this coalition has been working in close collaboration with key City staff. This public-private partnership to rebuild the Pali Rec Center comes on the heels of the City’s announcement that it had secured a private donation to replace the playground at the park.
According to LA Strong Sports and Steadfast LA, early design plans were created through in-depth collaboration with key local groups, including the Pali Community Center Committee, the LA Parks Foundation, PaliStrong, Pali 4 Pali, and longtime Pali Rec Center stakeholders, namely Jimmy Dunne of Veterans Gardens, Bob Benton of the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association and various members of the Park Advisory Board. The coalition — which includes Gensler, a globally renowned architecture and design firm, and Latham Watkins LLP, one of the world’s leading law firms – has spent hours meeting with these groups and individuals to shape the preliminary vision for a revitalized Rec Center that honors its legacy and builds toward the future. Community input in coordination with the above groups and other key stakeholders will continue to be solicited in the weeks ahead to refine and expand upon the initial plans.
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