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Community celebrates park’s rebirth
New beginning for Perry Park
by Carly Mayberry
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Assistant City Manager Sue Armstrong, Perry Park Senior Club President Roger Reger, Mayor Greg Hill, Councilman Kurt Schmalz, Bob Pinzler, and Marna Smeltzer, president of the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce pose at Perry Park’s ribbon cutting ceremony. |
Where once there was a chain link fence surrounding Perry Park, there is no more.
Despite all the positive remarks made by public officials and community members this best symbolized the meaning behind the grand opening of the park and Perry Park Senior Center last Sunday in North Redondo.
"Obviously, this is what government is suppose to do," Mayor Greg Hill said, taking a break from chatting with the crowd of about 250 people.
At Sunday’s event it was the typical summer faire, with barbecued hot dogs, beans and watermelon. While kids could be seen participating in the beanbag toss, seniors tossed horseshoes and line danced.
The ribbon cutting ceremony took place under an old Morton Fig Tree, it’s lavish branches providing shade and protection to not only the dignitaries but the spectators.
The transformation of Perry Park began in 1996 when neighborhood residents and the city council succeeded in getting an injunction against gang-related activities placed on the park.
After more than $1 million spent on renovations from state and federal government funds, the park now boasts a teen center, new playground equipment and a renovated senior center.
"This is the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people," Councilman Kurt Schmalz said. "It’s taxpayers’ money well spent."
"It was a tremendous challenge," said former Councilman Bob Pinzler, one of the first to get involved in the restoration of Perry Park.
"The neighborhood didn’t believe they could do anything about the gang activity. People had very much given up," he said.
But according to Pinzler, that’s when local residents got angry.
"A council can only do so much," Pinzler said. "This is a testament to what a neighborhood is. When neighborhoods use places people can’t disrupt them. It’s when you abandon a place that bad things can take over."
But the exterior look of the park and its facilities is only
part of the story. The other part involves the interaction of both young and
old that use it. For a time, while the senior center was being remodeled, the
older folks had to share accommodations with the teens.
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Mayor Greg Hill chats with Rusty Crouch in the newly remodeled senior center at Perry Park. |
"We liked our time over there," senior Rusty Crouch said. "We had a lot of nice interactions. They never acted like we weren’t welcome."
"That’s really a part of this story," Mayor Hill said. "The unique combination of teen and senior center here. The fact that seniors can be tremendous mentors is so important in today’s world."
Senior citizens, teens, playground equipment — all existing in a grassy corner of a neighborhood that used to be fenced off to keep out those up to no good.
Now, in the shade of the spreading Fig Tree stands yet another symbol — a simple pole put there from a local Girl Scout troop earning merit badges.
"It’s a terrific symbol," said city Recreation Services Director Dave Bacon about the pole with messages in three different languages inscribed down the side.
"It’s a peace pole," he said about the yellow post that read, "May peace prevail on Earth." ER