Deputy Stephen Sorensen County Park
16801 East Avenue P
Lake Los Angeles, California 93591
phone number (661) 264-1249
Press Articles
Sorensen Park set for major expansion
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Wednesday, February 7, 2007.
By BOB WILSON
Valley Press Staff Writer
LAKE LOS ANGELES - Stephen Sorensen County Park is due to get a 14,100-square-foot gymnasium and community building as a result of a unanimous vote Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
County supervisors, meeting in Los Angeles, voted to spend $9.9 million on the building, which will have a multipurpose room, a classroom, restrooms, a kitchen, storage space, custodial rooms and utility rooms, plus a paved parking lot, walkways, security lighting and landscaping. Part of the money, $589,000, will pay Carde-Ten Architects to design the building.
The project is the third phase of improvements to the park, which covers 100 acres at 170th Street East and Avenue P and for which community homeowners since 1990 have paid more than $60 a year for the its creation and operation.
The design is to be completed by May, with construction to begin in May 2008.
The project should be completed by November 2009, county officials said.
The structure will be similar to one in Altadena that opened in November 2006.
Funding will come from several sources, with $6.9 million coming from Los Angeles County's 5th District capital projects fund, $1.5 million from an enhanced unincorporated area services fund, $750,000 from a vehicle license fee gap loan, and $345,000 from a Community Development Block Grant.
The remaining $430,000 is expected to come from the board's future approval of an appropriation adjustment from Proposition A excess funds.
Although taxes for the park were initiated in 1990, construction was delayed until October 1995. The first phase, completed in January 1996, brought a 3-acre grass area with picnic tables, barbecue facilities, horseshoe pits, benches, restrooms and a paved parking lot.
The second phase, completed in August 2006, added two lighted basketball courts, a lighted multipurpose sports field, a lighted baseball field, concrete walkways, and more landscaping and parking. The second phase was completed shortly before county voters approved Proposition A, a $319 million parks bond .
After the new building is completed, the county's Department of Parks and Recreations is expected to spend about $25,000 on furnishings, equipment, supplies and sports gear for it.
Initially called Lake Los Angeles Park, the park's name was changed in August 2003 to honor Deputy Stephen Sorensen, the community's resident deputy who was killed Aug. 2, 2003 in a gun battle at an isolated trailer home.
web accessed: 2/8/2007 6:08:21 PM from http://avpress.com/n/07/0207_s4.hts
Wanted: Children to care for toys, share with other kidsThis story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Friday, July 8, 2005.By LISA WAHLA HOWARD LAKE LOS ANGELES - Wanted: Youthful volunteers willing to invest one week's time in caring for one of up to 150 brand-new toys. Applicants over the age of 2 should apply to the Stephen Sorensen Community Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2 and 4 p.m. Organizers on Thursday kicked off the park's Toy Loan program, which seeks to share toys with the community's children while teaching responsibility. "We have remote-controlled cars, Barbies, figurines, board games, a little scooter - you name it, we've got it," said Carol Helferich, a member of the park staff who's helping run the program. "We don't close the door to (any) body. We're here to be here for the children and that's the main goal." The county's Department of Public Social Services sponsors 45 such toy loan programs throughout the county. The toys are donated by the public or by private agencies, including toy companies. When children return the previous week's plaything, besides the joy of borrowing another new toy, they become eligible for special prizes. After borrowing and safely returning 20 toys, a child can request a toy worth up to $100, to be kept by the child. If a child requests a toy such as a skateboard or bicycle, he or she will receive the appropriate safety gear as well, Helferich said. "If we can teach our children to take care of something that's not theirs, hopefully it will teach them responsibility in the community, not to tear things up, not to do graffiti," Helferich said. The park, which is staffed daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., also offers after-school programs and a weekly food pantry. Los Angeles County, the park's operator, will soon be expanding the park with lighted basketball courts and ball fields. A community center and gymnasium are also planned in a future phase. For details, call (661) 264-1249. |
|
Face lift for facilities
$6 million gym, other park perks
coming from county
Article Published: Los Angeles Daily News Saturday, July 02, 2005 - 3:52:45 PM PST LITTLEROCK -- Lake Los Angeles' park will get a $6 million gymnasium and community room and other Antelope Valley county parks will get increased staff and more maintenance under the new Los Angeles County budget. Countywide, the Department of Parks and Recreation budget is going up by $37 million, which will pay for adding 270 new positions and filling more than 30 vacancies. Officials said it is the department's biggest boost in at least 25 years. "We're all very excited that we'll be able to add these new staff," parks spokeswoman Sheila Ortega said. "It's been several years of reductions. It's very exciting to be going the other way again. None of us at the department can remember when we've been able to add this number of staff before." Because the new workers are being recruited now, parks officials cannot say when recreational staffing will be increased at Jackie Robinson Park in Littlerock, George Lane Park in Quartz Hill, Everett Martin Park in Littlerock and Pearblossom Park. The department has been conducting job fairs in anticipating of adding staff, Ortega said. "We fully intend to have (increased recreation programs) in place and running before next summer," she said. The proposed gymnasium at Stephen Sorensen Park in Lake Los Angeles is unlikely to be opened sooner than 2007 because it still must be designed and built, Ortega said. At Jackie Robinson Park, the new staffing will let the county reassume responsibility for athletic programs that were taken over by the park foundation because of past years' budget cuts. "They have a terrific boxing program which is currently being operated by volunteers," Ortega said. "We are going to be able to have a paid specialist participate in that program." The budget increase will allow reassigning a recreation staffer full-time to George Lane Park, and increasing staffing at Everett Martin and Pearblossom parks. The budget will also pay for opening to the public on nights and weekends the newly completed Joe Walker Middle School gymnasium, which adjoins George Lane Park and was partially financed by the county. The increased maintenance staff will permit more frequent cleaning of restrooms and repairing of broken irrigation systems. Parks officials are considering adding a night maintenance crew that can work when the public is not present. The department also intends to begin guided tours and improve maintenance of wildlife preserves at Alpine Butte, Big Rock Creek and six other places in the Antelope Valley.
---
|
Sorensen Park plans moving forwardThis story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Thursday, March 3, 2005.By LISA WAHLA HOWARD LOS ANGELES - Despite a swelling construction budget, Los Angeles County is moving forward with plans for the second phase of Stephen Sorensen County Park in Lake Los Angeles. The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved plans for the expansion and authorized the Public Works Department to put the project out to bid. Construction is scheduled to begin by June, with the project largely completed by February 2006. The latest county documents associated with the project indicate that the construction will cost $3.5 million, up from a previous estimate of barely over $2 million. That pushes the total project cost up from $2.8 million to $4.6 million. "Unfortunately, that's what happens when you wait," said Robin Nute, president of the Lake L.A. Park Association. "My husband is in construction, and steel and concrete are going through the roof. The cost increases are caused by the gasoline increases. I do know the county is not lying, and that is the way it is." Nute said she is pleased that the construction will start soon on the long-awaited expansion. The park, now on about 3½ developed acres, next year will include a baseball field, soccer/multipurpose field, basketball courts, field lighting, concrete walkways and additional parking. When the second phase is complete, work will start on the park's community center and, perhaps, a skate park, Nute added. "We're already talking to an architect" about the community center, she said. A year ago, county officials told the park board they hoped to break ground on the expansion in summer 2004, but the state Fish and Game Department required more work to avoid Big Rock Wash and a natural spring north of the park. The county "had to re-engineer because of the waterway and the spring they wanted to protect," Nute said. "Everything's re-engineered and downsized. We're not losing anything, but what we have they're putting closer together." Nute said that although it has taken a number of years for the expansion to get under way, she believes L.A. County has done a good job with the park since the park was given to the county in 2002. "About 2½ years ago, when we deeded the park over, that's when we started seeing things happening and the gears started turning," Nute said. "I see no point in being negative as long as things are happening." Residents formed the park association and began taxing themselves about $58 a year in 1990 to develop the park themselves, but ran into problems when the private association couldn't qualify for government park bonds. Additionally, the association's funds were being drained cleaning up vandalism. Since handing the park to the county, a trailer for county park employees was moved onsite, and the park employees' presence has helped reduce the vandalism. "Just having somebody there has curbed the vandalism 100%," Nute said. The trailer will be the site of the park association's monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10. The public is invited to hear the latest park news. The park now offers after-school programs for children, and other activities are planned throughout the year. For details, call the park at (661) 264-1249 or log on to www.lakelapark.org. |
County budget greenbacks to boost Valley's green parks
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Monday, June 27, 2005. (The red highlights were added by John Shore)
By LISA WAHLA HOWARD
Valley Press Staff Writer
Antelope Valley parks will benefit from an extra $37 million in the Los Angeles County Parks Department's budget. Funds will go to additional staffing, programs and grounds maintenance.
The budgetary boost allows the department to add 270 positions and plan for $20 million in deferred maintenance, including improving park buildings, picnic shelters, walkways and other facilities.
"This is a real watershed year for us," said department director Russ Guiney, noting the department has survived decades of reduced budgets. "There will be more grounds maintenance, more recreation and more planned activities in the local and community parks."
Valley parks to benefit from the county's more generous 2005-06 budget include Pearblossom, George Lane in Quartz Hill, Everett Martin in Littlerock, Jackie Robinson in Littlerock and Apollo in Lancaster.
The department's budget includes $6 million to complete a gym and community meeting room at Stephen Sorensen Park in Lake Los Angeles.
"This will allow us to staff the Joe Walker gym next to George Lane Park on nights and weekends, and Stephen Sorensen Park, we will have on-site staff to conduct recreation seven days a week. That will allow us to offer athletic programs," department spokeswoman Sheila Ortega said.
"At Jackie Robinson Park, the funding will allow us to develop a community garden, and we'll also be able to once again operate the athletic program the foundation has been doing since budget cuts several years ago. We'll also bring in paid specialists to enhance the boxing program."
Even residents who don't live near a county park may see more services, as the department is exploring the possibility of having a mobile recreation unit that can take play equipment to the communities, she said.
All Valley county parks will be improved by three additional tree-trimming crews and a new crafts division, which will include electricians, plumbers and carpenters. Bathrooms will be cleaner; irrigation problems can be fixed quicker; and ballfields will be kept in better shape.
Additionally, Ortega said, "We'll have the funding to re-form our trails crew we had to disband after budgetary curtailments a few years back. We'll be able to get out there and catch up on damages (from the winter storms)."
Updated: 12/13/2008 10:22:05 PM
Web page creation and update responsibility -- Mary Hanna