More than $60 million secured to rebuild Altadena parks destroyed by Eaton Fire

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- There's something deeper to parks than meets the eye. They offer a space for rest, community and art.

In Altadena, there's a massive effort to save them.

"Every park - every park in Altadena - sustained hundreds of millions of dollars in fire damage," said Kathryn Barger, the Los Angeles County Supervisor who represents that community.

Inside the gym at Loma Alta Park, the first to reopen after the Eaton Fire, Barger announced more than $60 million has been secured through nonprofit, public and private sectors for the restoration of these green spaces.

"This is driven from the bottom up. This is not bureaucracy telling the community what they want," Barger told Eyewitness News. "We're letting the community give us input and feedback in terms of what they want."

One example is Charles White Park, which in 1981 was dedicated to the renowned African-American artist and activist who made a home in Altadena.

With input from White's son, Charles Ian White, the renovations there will include a classroom, said Barger.

White, an Altadenan, underscored why these resources matter.

"My late mother, Frances White, used to run Art in the Park, and they would set up these temporary booths where local artists would come display their work. They would do workshops for kids and it was really just a celebration of creativity," shared White.

"We know that our parks and our open spaces are part of the healing spaces that are bringing joy to Altadena," said Norma E. García-González, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.

The funds secured so far are about a third of what is needed to fully restore all impacted park spaces, according to Barger.

"I hope that we can continue to build up that partnership with other corporations and organizations that want to and can invest in a community that is really richly deserving," she said.

Next month, there will be a an opportunity for children and their families to weigh in on what they would like to see as restoration and renovation efforts of Altadena's parks continue.