Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined Steadfast LA Founder and Chairman Rick Caruso, LA Strong Sports Co-Founder and Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, Councilwoman Traci Park, and other civic and community leaders on Tuesday for the official groundbreaking of the Palisades Recreation Center.
The groundbreaking marks the beginning of construction on the Palisades Rec Center and surrounding park, which were severely damaged in the Palisades Fire. In April 2025, Steadfast LA, LA Strong Sports, and the City of Los Angeles forged a public-private partnership to fund, redesign, and rebuild the community space.
"Today is about the Palisades community. Today is about hope," said Mayor Bass. "The City's number one pledge has been to eliminate any and all obstacles in the way of rebuilding, and I am proud of the public-private partnerships we have forged to move the recovery forward and restore vital spaces like the Palisades Rec Center for a community that has been through so much loss."
"The day after the fire, I stood at the Palisades Rec Center surrounded by devastation. Yesterday, we put shovels in the ground and are bringing this beloved community space back," said Councilmember Traci Park.
"When we formed Steadfast LA, we set out to live by one principle: the comeback is always stronger than the setback. Today represents that," said Rick Caruso. "Rebuilding the places where people come together is the first step to restoring a community."
"The Pali Rec Center was a big part of why we chose to move here with our family," said JJ and Chelsea Redick. "We believe every community needs a place where individuals and families can play and compete, and rebuilding the Pali Rec Center is a big step for ours."
On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed wildfire recovery legislation sponsored and supported by Mayor Bass to expand mortgage protections, strengthen insurance coverage, and create a permanent framework to accelerate wildfire recovery. The bills include AB 1847, which extends mortgage forbearance by two additional years for Los Angeles wildfire survivors struggling to make timely payments; AB 1842, establishing a uniform statewide forbearance process when a state of emergency is declared; and AB 1642, requiring the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt emergency regulations for investigating and clearing lead and asbestos in residential areas.