Story Created:
Nov 19, 2009 at 12:29 PM PST
Story Updated:
Nov 19, 2009 at 12:29 PM PST
HUNTINGTON PARK — The City Council Monday night approved a design for the community building at the future site of Raul Perez Memorial Park, 6200-6208 Alameda St.
The current Perez Park, formerly Westside Park, 2061 Gage Ave., will be demolished to make way for a new school for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
While the new park building and the 4.5-acre park are developed by the school district, city officials will have free use of facilities at Middleton Elementary School, 6537 Malabar St., for Westside Park activities.
Parks and Recreation Director Josette Espinosa said after-school activities now conducted by the city at Westside Park will begin Dec. 1 at the Middleton campus.
The City Council approved a lease with LAUSD for two portable buildings at the Middleton site for city programs until the new park is completed.
Two portable toilets and a third for handicapped students, plus portable sinks will be provided. The area will be fenced with a separate entrance, Espinosa said.
The agreement for Middleton use is until Oct. 31, 2010, but could be extended.
On Monday, Dexter Galong, of the HMC Architect firm, showed council pictures of the proposed building at the new site.
It will be larger than the current 3,200-square-foot facility on Gage Avenue and include a multipurpose room for meetings, a kitchen, restrooms, office and storage space and an exercise room, Espinosa said.
At the direction of City Council in October, the building will feature several of the Spanish style arches like those at City Hall. There will be a large glass window where those inside can view the playing fields to the east, Galong said.
The two sites are owned by the Los Angeles Unified School District, which plans to build part of its South Regional High School No. 7 on 12 acres including the current Perez Park site west of Alameda Street.
In return for the 3.5-acre park, the school district has agreed to develop the two Alameda lots on the north side of the school as a replacement.
The district has agreed to replace all facilities currently at Perez Park at the new park, including a clubhouse, outdoor basketball courts, a picnic area with barbecue pits and a children’s play area.
A soccer field and a swimming pool, planned by the school district just east of the new park, will be jointly used by the city and the school.
Besides getting a larger park, the new site also will have 50 parking spaces.
Planned since July 2004, the new high school will be on about 12 acres bounded by Gage on the south, Alameda on the west and Cottage Street on the east. The replacement park will be on its northern border.
It is proposed to house 60 classrooms for some 1,620 students per semester in grades nine through 12.
The building will include administrative offices, a gym, a multipurpose room, cafeteria, food services area, lunch shelter, library, outdoor recreation area, a swimming pool and underground parking.
South Regional High School No, 7 will relieve overcrowding at Huntington Park High School.
School officials have said they plan to start work next spring. Completion would take a couple of years.
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