The Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department joined partners and community members to celebrate the reopening of Loma Alta Park and the launch of a new Satellite Senior Center, a vital resource for older adults in Altadena following the loss of the Altadena Senior Center to the Eaton Fire.

The newly renovated park now serves as a community hub, offering intergenerational programming, including an early childhood center, a satellite library, after-school programs and dedicated space for older adults and people with disabilities. The Satellite Senior Center will continue many of the services previously offered at the Altadena site, including wellness classes, support workshops and grab-and-go meals, ensuring older residents remain connected and supported.

“This is only the first day toward rebuilding, but it’s a happy day,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who championed the park’s recovery efforts. “More importantly, we’re going to have the community back in the community.”

Overseen by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks & Recreation, the revitalization of Loma Alta Park was made possible through partnerships with organizations like Fire Aid, the Annenberg Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.

“The sounds of children playing and people gathering again, that’s the sound of healing,” said Norma Edith García-González, Director of Parks & Recreation. “This park is a love letter to the community.”

The celebration also included local voices sharing what the reopening means to them.

“To be hopeful about life again, that’s what this place gives us,” said resident Joe Nagy.  “This means everything to us,” added Phillip Pollerana, another longtime community member.

As Dr. Laura Trejo, Director of the Aging & Disabilities Department added, the new center represents more than a facility, it’s a sign of commitment: “Our priority has always been to provide a dependable source of community and care. Loma Alta Park helps us do just that.”

Watch the L.A. County Channel segment: “Out of the Ashes: Loma Alta Park Reopens” here.