Community School Park Opens In LA's Boyle Heights Neighborhood

LOS ANGELES, CA — A community park opened in Boyle Heights Monday, providing additional recreational space for families as the neighborhood continues to deal with the aftermath of the Lineage Logistics warehouse fire.

Mayor Karen Bass joined LAUSD Superintendent Andrés E. Chait, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and other community leaders Monday to celebrate the opening of the park at Malabar Street Elementary School.

The park is part of the Community School Parks program, which makes school grounds available to residents for recreational use outside of school hours, according to city officials. The Malabar Street Elementary School park is the 12th site in the program and the first Community School Park in East Los Angeles.

"Every child deserves a safe place to learn and play, and every neighborhood needs quality parks and recreational space for families," Bass said. "This new park is more important than ever as Boyle Heights and East LA families continue to deal with the aftermath of the Lineage warehouse fire."

The June 17 fire at the Lineage Logistics cold storage warehouse burned for days, and more than 85 million pounds of food stored at the facility began to rot, spreading foul odors through the surrounding community and attracting rats.

Lineage has since removed the bulk food waste from the facility, but cleanup work was continuing more than two months after the blaze.

The expansion follows an August 2025 Joint Powers Agreement between the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and LAUSD that streamlined the process for Recreation and Parks to pay LAUSD for use of existing community school parks and expedite the opening of additional sites.

Chait said school campuses can serve as community assets beyond the school day.

"Our campuses are at the heart of the communities we serve — places where children can play, families can gather, and everyone can enjoy safe, welcoming outdoor spaces," Chait said.

LAUSD Board Vice President Dr. Rocío Rivas said the program expands access to recreational space for students and families.

"By transforming schoolyards into community parks, we are expanding opportunities for physical activity, increasing access to green space, and creating healthier, stronger neighborhoods where families can thrive," Rivas said.

The program's 11th Community School Park opened in June at Carlos Santana Elementary School in the San Fernando Valley.