Page 46 - 2023 AV EDGE RTR

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a parks & recreation
l
i Los Angeles County Parks can have a life-saving mission, too.
t L.A. County has hundreds of parks, lakes, When COVID-19 public health orders
y and trails. Supervisor Kathryn Barger initially limited indoor park facility
activities, many parks pivoted to serving
supports maintaining and improving these
valuable resources for current and future as pandemic emergency relief sites.
o generations. The county’s Department County staff offered testing, vaccinations,
and free groceries at many park sites. In
of Parks and Recreations, with input
f from community residents, continues to 2021, Supervisor Barger, L.A. County’s
work on expanding recreation facilities in Department of Parks and Recreation, and
unincorporated L.A. County. This included the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank joined
l creating the future Primmer Park in forces and hosted 21 food distribution
events, reaching over 24,470 households
i Littlerock and preservation work at Lake and distributing 1.4M pounds of groceries
Los Angeles’ Tameobit Wildlife Sanctuary.
f across all of North County. In the Antelope
Valley, 9,729 families received 510,893
e pounds of groceries.

traditional outreach programs. A 12- Rancho Vista Park - Rancho Vista Park,
week work program is offered, in which a 3-acre neighborhood park located on
youth ages 18-24 are given a six-week Town Center Drive, between 35th Street
apprenticeship and six weeks of on-the- West and Bolz Ranch Road, opened in
job training. During this time, individuals August 2022. The park features a covered/
learn highly transferable skills that can get shaded inclusive playground, an accessible
them jobs in the aeronautics, aerospace, walking path with lighting, picnic areas
automotive and manufacturing industries. and shade trees, stone wall, story time
In addition to hands-on skills, they are area, Little Free Library- a community
also taught soft skills, resume-building book share, pet waste station, therapeutic
and ways to prepare for an interview. wellness garden/meditation space, and a
Following graduation, individuals are able restroom.
City of Lancaster to land jobs at some of the region’s top
Lancaster’s Parks, Arts, Recreation and employers, including Northrop Grumman,
Community Services (PARCS) Department Lance Camper, BYD and more. Program
oversees a variety of facilities, special participants enjoy a job placement rate of
events and community programs, over 90 percent.
including the newly renovated
Community Center. City of Palmdale
Through the Community Services Palmdale held 125 events in 2022
Division, Lancaster partners with the Lost which included the Summer Concert
Angels Children’s Project. Lost Angels is Series, Movie Nights, Kaleidoscope Art &
Music Festival, Springfest, the Palmdale
Healing & Honor Field, the AV Wall and Public Art “Revolution” - A distinctive
Jolly Holiday on the Square & Holiday new public art sculpture, was installed at
Lights Across Palmdale. Palmdale hosts the Palmdale Auto Mall in December titled
approximately 25 softball tournaments “Revolution”. This one-of-a-kind sculpture
annually. This past year over 460 teams created by artist Heath Satow creates a
were welcomed traveling from the western sense of motion through its shape and the
part of the country including teams from way the world reflects in it. The curves
Hawaii. Palmdale pools served a record of vehicular body shapes are mirrored
number of swim lessons last summer. in the curves of the sculpture and the
Additionally, the 2022 DryTown Water mirror-polished stainless-steel finish is
a nonprofit that serves disadvantaged Park season saw strong park attendance reminiscent of one of the most common
youth, families and distressed at 82,174, commonly selling out of daily details on cars- chrome. Partnering with
communities through innovative admission tickets on the weekends. the Palmdale Auto Mall, this is the City’s
vocational training, social enterprise and first public/private partnership of public

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