Pan Pacific Park playground reopens in Fairfax District after being destroyed by arsonist last year

FAIRFAX, LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky Thursday officially reopened a young children's playground at Pan Pacific Park that was destroyed last year in a fire set by an arsonist.

Children from some local Fifth Council District schools attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The reopening was boosted by a $236,000 donation to the Los Angeles Parks Foundation from Television City, a production facility owned and operated by Hackman Capital Partners.

"What you see here today is an example of public and private sectors coming together to get something done for our city," Bass said during the Thursday morning ceremony.

The donation was used to repair the damage caused by the July 2022 fire at the park, at 7600 Beverly Blvd., near The Grove.

The new playground was reopened in December, but the ribbon-cutting ceremony was delayed due to severe storms in the early months this year.

"Pan Pacific Park is one of the true gems of Los Angeles," Yaroslavsky said in a statement. "It's everything our parks should be -- community spaces where any family can come regardless of income and relax, learn and play."

Television City's funds were used to build an ADA-accessible playground that includes a spiral slide, tilted rock wall and tic-tac-toe panel.

"People forget this, but right across the street from Pan Pacific Park is Park La Brea -- the largest community of renters this side of the Mississippi," Yaroslavsky said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "Many more families in the nearby Fairfax neighborhood, Beverly Grove, Mid-Wilshire neighborhoods, also rent, and often don't have backyards necessarily for our kids to play in.

"What they did have was this park and this playground -- until it was gone," she added. "There is no question that these were the communities that the destruction of this playground hurt the most."

Carolyn Ramsey, executive director of the parks foundation, previously expressed her gratitude toward Television City and Hackman Capital Partners for its donation because "park playground plays a vital role in connecting a community."

"Parks and playgrounds help kids learn balance, coordination, dexterity and social skills while having fun," she said "It is crucial that community parks and playgrounds be as accessible and inclusive as possible, providing a place for children and adults to be active and enjoy time outdoors."

Ramsey also participated in the event along with Michael Hackman, CEO of Hackman Capital Partners; David Nickoll, chair of the parks foundation; and Jimmy Kim, general manager of the city's Department of Recreation and Parks.