Westchester Playa Del Rey Youth Foundation
 - Published by permission of the Westchester Playa Del Rey Youth Foundation - 


PURPOSE

The purpose of the Youth Foundation is to promote the welfare of youth generally and particularly in the area of Westchester, Playa del Rey and adjoining communities. Since its incorporation as a non profit organization in 1962, it has fulfilled its objective by providing a place and facilities for organized youth activities.

BACKGROUND

The Youth Foundation was created as a result of a recognition by citizens of the area that dedicated youth facilities were desperately needed to supplement the existing city recreational facilities. The first undertaking was the construction and operation of "Four Acres ‘or Youth" built on City of Los Angeles Department of Airports property at the west end of the airport. This facility was operated by the Youth Foundation until the construction of the runways on the north side of the airport caused abandonment of the park.

The Youth Foundation, with the agreement of he Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, then developed a replacement Little League baseball stadium on city owned land adjacent to the Del Rey Lagoon in Playa del Rey. Materials salvaged from the "Four Acres For Youth" facility were used. This stadium, although no longer under the sponsorship of the Youth Foundation, s still being used by the Del Rey Little League.

The Youth Foundation was active in the development of the Del Rey Lagoon as a recreational facility for young people by contributing funds for the purchase of sabot-class boats for the city's aquatic program. The Youth Foundation also motorized the lagoon's flood gate to ensure proper periodic flushing of the lagoon to provide a healthy water condition in the lagoon.

For many years the Youth Employment Service of Westchester and Playa del Rey operated as an entity within the Youth Foundation to provide a clearinghouse for youth employment opportunities. This service was discontinued in the early eighties as demand decreased to the point where it was no longer practical to continue operation of the agency

In the early seventies, the Youth Foundation leased the playing fields of the former Airport Junior High School (for $150/ season) from Hilton Hotels Corporation. Hilton Hotels had purchased the property when the school district closed down the junior high school. These playing fields, located just a few blocks from the present park site, were made available to Little League and American Youth Soccer for practice fields.

When it was certain that Hilton Hotels would sell this property to Hertz Corporation, the Youth Foundation began negotiations with the Department of Airports to lease property on which to develop a replacement facility. Eight acres were made available to the Youth Foundation for one dollar a year. Nielsen Youth Park was constructed and is now serving the youth of the area.

The Youth Foundation's objective today is unchanged from its original objective-to promote the

welfare of the youth of the area. The Youth Park provides a much needed, safe, supervised facility within the community.

DEVELOPMENT OF NIELSEN YOUTH PARK

The Youth Foundation has developed Nielsen Youth Park through a combination of cash contributions, donated services and volunteer labor. Cash contributions received so far for the development and maintenance and operation of the park have exceeded $150,000. This includes $10,000 donated by Hertz Corporation and a $55,000 grant from the LAOC Amateur Athletic Foundation

The Navy Reserve Construction Battalion and Army Reserve Corps of Engineers contributed many weekends to the grading and construction of the park. The Department of Airports constructed the fence that encloses the park and provided all of the exterior landscaping. The design of the underground irrigation system was donated by a landscaping firm. Materials for the irrigation system were provided at cost by an interested company.

The most significant donation was labor. Several thousands of hours of labor were donated by dedicated citizens of the community to construct the first class underground irrigation system for five of the park's eight acres and to plant the grass. The Westchester Little League built its very fine baseball stadium with donated labor. Westchester Playa Del Rey Girl’s Softball, partially supported by a grant obtained by the Youth Foundation, has completed the girls(1) baseball complex.

The park, as it stands today, is a product of the contributions of many people and organizations-parents, interested citizens, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Army and Navy Reserve units, Hertz Corporation, the Amateur Athletic Foundation, the Department of Airports, and many more.

 - Published by permission of the Westchester Playa Del Rey Youth Foundation - 

 editors  notes:    
1
The Kent D. Mace Field