Palisades Recreation Center to be rebuilt

The Palisades Recreation Center will be rebuilt after it was severely damaged in the Los Angeles Fires in January, it was announced Thursday. A public-private partnership is making the rebuilding of the community center possible. 

Mayor Karen Bass joined Steadfast L.A. and L.A. Strong Sports – which are two private organizations – to announce their plans to restore the recreation center during a news conference in the Palisades. 

"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," Bass said in a statement.

The recreation center, playground, and library served as important pieces of the Palisades community, Bass said. These areas have now been cleared of the fire debris by the Army Corps of  Engineers. 

"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," Rick Caruso, who runs Steadfast L.A., said in a statement.

He said Steadfast L.A. will take a similar approach in assisting Malibu and Altadena. 

"We visited the Pali Rec Center the same day we decided to move to the Palisades," JJ and Chelsea Rednick, who helped form L.A. Strong, said in a statement. "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."

The coalition is forming design plans of the new center with residents and organizations with ties to the park. The coalition is expected to host additional discussions to refine the design plan and release details about the project.