PAPA Considers Palisades Recreation Center for Fourth of July Fireworks

Neighbors Request Assistance from Park Advisory Board to End Late-Night Gatherings at Veterans’ Gardens

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The Pacific Palisades Recreation Center Park Advisory Board met virtually the evening of March 10 for the first time since safer at home orders restricted in-person meetings.

The first agenda item was presented by Palisades Americanism Parade Association, known as PAPA, to gauge how the board would respond if the organization requested to use Palisades Recreation Center as an alternate location for the Fourth of July fireworks show in lieu of Palisades Charter High School.

PAPA President Matthew Rodman began the presentation by explaining that following the cancellation of in-person July 4th activities in 2020, PAPA is “simply not sure what’s going to happen this year.”

“We’re not sure if the city of Los Angeles and county of Los Angeles will permit us to have any event—whether it be a concert with fireworks, just fireworks—we’re not sure if LAUSD, which is the landlord for Pali High, or Pali High itself will permit us to have an event there,” he explained. “A lot of it is simply going to depend on where we’re at in the recovery from the pandemic.”

He reported that PAPA is “hopeful” that pandemic-related recovery will continue to trend in a direction that allows for a return of the event in some fashion in 2021.

“Our first choice, our second choice, our third choice is to do it at Pali High,” PAPA Advisor Robert Weber said during the meeting. “We want to do it at Pali High, we don’t want to have to move. But if they county and the city and the state say it’s OK to have fireworks and for whatever reason the LAUSD is dragging feet, we’re just looking for a fallback possibility location right now.”

Rich Wilken, PAPA vice president (fireworks), shared details of what fireworks at the rec center, which would be shot from a baseball field near the pitcher’s mound, would entail: The fire department requires a 75-foot radius of clearance for each inch of shell size.

“What we’ve been shooting is two-inch shells,” he explained, “so that requires a 150-foot radius safety area.”

He added that though having fireworks at the park has been considered before, he would have to review a plan with the current fire marshal, as well as work out details about security fencing and other factors.

PAPA representatives explained that at this time, the organization is not sure if there would be food trucks or a concert, which are typically part of the Fourth of July festivities. It would depend on the pandemic, related restrictions and what is feasible.

Following the conclusion of the presentation, Park Advisory Board Vice Chair Bob Harter called on members of the board to share opinions and ask questions—with PAPA receiving largely positive feedback and preliminary support.

“I think that you guys are being good stewards of the PAPA money by coming out early and trying to find a backup location,” board member Lynn Hylen said, “so I would vote totally to support this.”

Weber said that PAPA will not go through with an event unless it’s safe and people in the community want it, with Rodman adding that the organization can push a couple of months before making a final decision around May.

Harter asked PAPA to inform the board “with the earliest possible notice” so that they may contact people around the community closest to the park to get their feedback at a future meeting. He also suggested to “move swiftly” within the Department of Recreation and Parks itself, “because that’s where the final approval is going to come from.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, a couple of residents with homes that back up to the park expressed concerns about people gathering at the Veterans’ Gardens area late into the night.

“It tends to be a place now where people are gathering, which is great during the day,” one neighbor said. “It’s not so great at 11 o’clock at night or midnight. It’s truly going on at all hours of the night. It’s creating safety hazards.”

In addition to gathering, the neighbors reported that visitors, who they said often come over from other communities, are driving dangerously, including speeding and doing donuts, with one car flipping over and being totaled.

Acting Park Director Chris Wilson said that as the rec center remains closed, the neighbors’ concerns are a police matter.

The board discussed the possibility of putting a gate at the entrance of the parking lot.

“Green park spaces are inviting to young people and gates don’t generally stop them,” board member Maryam Zar said.

The neighbors said they have been trying to address it with Los Angeles Police Department, but don’t feel like they’re getting anywhere with it—requesting additional patrolling or potentially the hiring of a private security service.

Board member Rick McGeagh suggested the board make a formal request to LAPD to make a circle through the driveway area to check on Veterans’ Gardens every Friday and Saturday night around 11 p.m.

The next day, Thursday, March 11, Harter sent an email to Acting Senior Lead Officer Jae Lee, requesting extra support during the weekend.

“The appearance of a police car—perhaps at random times—should discourage this unsafe and disturbing behavior,” Harter wrote.

Lee responded shortly after, saying that he would advise and inform the unit assigned to the area to conduct extra patrol on the days Harter requested.