LA Councilmember Mike Bonin and LAUSD School Board Member Steve Zimmer Tour Brentwood Green
On July 9, L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin and LAUSD School Board member Steve Zimmer were the honored guests of a Brentwood Green tour hosted by Brentwood Green Board members as well as other involved community leaders.
“The objective of the tour was to thank both Mr. Bonin and Mr. Zimmer for their support,” Brentwood Green Board Member Maria Dante Brown said. “It was also a chance for us as a Brentwood community to show them the beautiful playground, murals, and learning gardens.”
Councilman Bonin spent his afternoon walking around the entirety of Brentwood Green, where he was able to gain firsthand insight of what the community playground has to offer. “[Brentwood Green is] one of the most beautiful vibrant public-private partnerships here in Los Angeles,” Bonin said. “It is a model of fusing community and school because it benefits school and neighborhood all at the same time. The Brentwood community has taken a place that was way too gray and had way too much asphalt and has given it life.”
It was less than 20 years ago in 1997 when the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) decided to repave the school’s asphalt after neighborhood objections to initial considerations about turning the plot of land into a Ralph’s market. “The community came together and offered to help improve and maintain a new grass playing field and learning gardens, in exchange for being able to use the playground during non-school hours,” Brown said.
The entire concept became more and more appealing to Jackie Raymond, one of the original founders of Brentwood Green, as well as community members and officials like former City Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski.
“It was great idea to decide to do something with that property,” Raymond said. This was especially true for a project like a neighborhood playground so that both students as well as the surrounding neighbors could reap the benefits of a “community-school park.” The community-school park would not only provide the surrounding Brentwood community with the convenience of a neighborhood playground, but would also provide the students of Brentwood Magnet Science School a much more appealing setting to learn, grow, and spend their days in.
In addition to a grass playing field, the community group added features like new playground equipment, a new Safran Family kindergarten yard, learning gardens, murals, and a recycled tire running track.
The city has recognized this impressive transformation as well. Brentwood Green was given an award from the Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department. From school district bond funds, to state government grants, to city and county grants, to private donations, and of course, plenty of community effort, countless hands and hearts have contributed to the renovation of what was once 11 acres of ugly asphalt.
“For more than a dozen years, the Westside YMCA, Coast Sports, AYSO, and others have offered youth programs for both students and local families,” Brentwood Green Board member Dante Brown said. “Thousands of school children have benefited from the presence of this playground.” In August 2014, PrimeTime Sports Camp was awarded the management contract for the playground. To read the full article, go to https://westsidetoday.com/