The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday approved a motion calling for the opening of 25 community school parks by the end of 2025, with sites selected in consultation with the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The motion, introduced by Councilwoman Nithya Raman, instructs the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks to negotiate a new contract with the LAUSD and collaborate with them on achieving the goal of opening more parks.
“Community parks are not a new idea,” Raman said. “They’ve been around for a very long time. But I think that there is a moment right now with a new superintendent in place, with a few new school board members and a real sense of need for new park space for us to be able to capitalize on this opportunity.”
Under former Mayor Eric Garcetti, the city’s so-called “Green New Deal” made a commitment to opening 25 community school parks by 2025, she added. So far only three new parks have opened.
“I think it’s time for us to revitalize this discussion, to make sure that we can actually put a Master Joint Agreement in place that incorporates the lessons we’ve learned from our recent struggles in putting these parks into place,” Raman said. “And really make sure that we’re opening up the door to these parks in the future.”
The motion further instructs the parks department to report on the status of existing community school parks. The department will identify funding requirements, staffing needs and administrative roadblocks that may need to be addressed for the establishment of new parks.
The city’s Bureau of Engineering will create a plan for utilizing approximately $10 million in Prop K funds earmarked for Youth Schools to support efforts in creating more parks.
Prop K, or the L.A. for Kids Program, was a ballot initiative passed by city voters in 1996. It created a citywide assessment district, which aims to generate $25 million each year through an annual property tax over a 30-year period.
The funds support the acquisition, improvement, construction and maintenance of city parks, recreation facilities and other projects, according to the city’s website.