For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2023
THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL PARK AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT (RPOSD) CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF GRANTMAKING
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors proclaimed today as “Regional Park and Open Space District Day” and commended RPOSD on its thirtieth anniversary as stewards and advocates of parks and open spaces in Los Angeles County. To date, RPOSD has awarded over $1.6 billion in funding towards parks, open spaces, beaches, trails, natural areas, and public parklands in the County. RPOSD celebrates this accomplishment and the culmination of its 30th Anniversary with the release of a commemorative video highlighting its achievements and continued efforts in enriching and empowering communities through innovative grantmaking for parks and open spaces.
Three decades ago, voters approved Proposition A of 1992 through a special election that established RPOSD, and voters further reinforced their commitment to parks in Los Angeles County with the passage of Proposition A of 1996. The Proposition A funds have sunset, and in 2016, Los Angeles County voters approved Measure A to provide permanent funding for the protection and preservation of parklands in perpetuity, providing vital funding to enhance Los Angeles County’s green spaces.
Over the years, RPOSD has empowered communities through grants aimed at creating equitable access to parks and open spaces and supporting the development and maintenance of parklands to provide a greater quality of life for all Los Angeles County residents. RPOSD has awarded over 2,500 projects, including land acquisitions and improvements and rehabilitation to parks, recreational facilities, trails, open spaces, and much more. Additionally, over $33 million in maintenance funds have supported the County’s parklands, including the acquisition of 19,600 acres of public parklands preserved for generations to come. RPOSD has worked with over 220 park organizations, including all 88 cities, County departments, state and local agencies, and community-based organizations, with the mission of providing access to green spaces, especially those in high and very high-need neighborhoods.
RPOSD continually works to improve to better meet the needs of our communities. This year, RPOSD awarded the first programmatic grants in its history. These Measure A grant programs, Recreation Access and Youth & Veteran Job Training and Placement, provide interpretive services, transportation, education, and job placement to support Los Angeles County youth and veterans.
“When voters approved Measure A in 2016, together, we made a commitment to invest in the future of parks and open spaces and to ensure that 30 percent of its funding is devoted to the highest park need communities in Los Angeles County. Thank you to the Board of Supervisors for their steadfast commitment to park access, public parklands, and our environment. We are deeply grateful to community advocates, partners, cities, and past and present RPOSD staff for serving as stewards of public parklands. United, Los Angeles County created a historic park equity movement. Here’s to greening Los Angeles County for our generation and the next,” said Norma Edith García-González, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District.
“Thanks to the work of the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District over the last 30 years, our 10 million residents have access to some of the best park spaces in the nation. We appreciate your efforts to preserve and protect our local parks, as these are some of the most important places in our neighborhoods. On behalf of the residents of my District, I thank you,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Board Chair Janice Hahn, Fourth District.
“Over the past 30 years, we have seen the value of parks and green spaces and are grateful for the role the District has played in investing in our parkland. The grant funding provided by RPOSD over the years has translated into countless improvements to parks that allow our residents to recreate, explore, and find respite in the outdoors. The District has focused on equity-based solutions to deliver innovative grantmaking and programming that has increased access to green spaces in disadvantaged communities. Cheers to 30 years of grantmaking,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District.
“The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District’s work to improve access to quality parks and recreational facilities has helped further our progress towards a healthy and more vibrant Los Angeles. I look forward to RPOSD continuing to positively impact our County in the years ahead. Cheers, RPOSD,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Holly J. Mitchell, Second District.
“The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District has reached an incredible milestone in celebrating 30 years of grantmaking. The funding provided by RPOSD has resulted in land acquisitions, urban park expansions, and projects that preserve and protect our critical wildlife corridors. I am grateful for the unprecedented funding that has been awarded to preserve the green spaces that serve our local communities. Cheers, RPOSD, for 30 years,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, Third District.
“Reaching the 30-year mark is a good time to reflect on everything that RPOSD has accomplished and supported,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Fifth District. “The funding made available by RPOSD has allowed many County residents to enjoy recreational areas and green spaces. Our County’s implementation of RPOSD is also a clear reflection of our core beliefs. I wholeheartedly believe people in every neighborhood, of every age, and from every background deserve a safe, clean, and convenient place for recreation. Both rural and urban community parks play an important role in enhancing physical and mental health. I’m committed to continuing to champion this important cause.”
About Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District
Since its inception in 1992, RPOSD has awarded more than $1.5 billion in grants to cities, County departments, state and local agencies, and community-based organizations for projects to improve and rehabilitate our parks, recreational facilities, trails, and open space lands. Our grants will continue to make life better in Los Angeles County by building stronger and safer neighborhoods, enriching recreational experiences, advocating equitable access to parks and open spaces, and preserving our natural spaces for this and future generations. By empowering initiatives that create, maintain, and improve our open spaces, RPOSD can help ensure that everyone in the Los Angeles County region benefits from all that parks have to offer. This is all possible thanks to the support from the people of Los Angeles County. For more information on the competitive grant programs and Measure A funding, visit the RPOSD website at rposd.lacounty.gov.
About Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks and operates a network of 70,079 acres of parkland, 475 sports amenities such as futsal, basketball, tennis, lawn bowling and multipurpose fields, 42 swimming pools, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, 10 nature centers that serve as a refuge for over 200 animals, 14 lakes – 3 of which are boating and swimming lakes, 5 equestrians centers, more than 210 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the nation, consisting of 20 golf courses. The department also maintains four botanical centers: The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens. The department also owns and operates the iconic Hollywood Bowl and John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, which are jointly managed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, providing County residents with valuable entertainment and cultural resources.
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