Ground Broken On $50M Palisades Recreation Center Rebuild

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Construction began Tuesday on a more than $50 million project to rebuild the fire-damaged Palisades Recreation Center, its surrounding park and other areas encompassing 17 acres.

Steadfast LA, LA Strong Sports, the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Recreation and Parks held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the project, which is being funded entirely by private donations and is expected to be completed in 14 to 16 months, according to officials.

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The recreation center and park were severely damaged in the January 2025 Palisades Fire.

A public-private partnership to fund, redesign and rebuild the facility was formed in April 2025 by Steadfast LA, LA Strong Sports and the city.

"Today is about the Palisades community. Today is about hope," Mayor Karen Bass said. "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 project is described by officials as the largest public-private partnership in the history of the Department of Recreation and Parks.

The rebuilt recreation center will include two indoor basketball courts, two indoor pickleball courts, an enlarged lobby and community rooms for parties, ceremonies and meetings.

Plans for the surrounding park include a two-level playground built into the site's natural slope, a new U10 soccer field, two lighted outdoor basketball courts and a central gathering space called the Pali Hub.

The park is also expected to include terraced spectator seating, shaded seating areas, an enhanced Veterans Garden and bocce courts.

"The Pali Rec Center was a big part of why we chose to move here with our family," Lakers head coach JJ Redick and his wife, Chelsea, said in a joint statement. "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. We're glad to help make that happen here alongside our neighbors and partners."

The Redicks co-founded LA Strong Sports with Charles and Jenna Jackson and Kylee Kilgore following the January 2025 wildfires to help rebuild and expand sports and recreation facilities in Los Angeles.

Steadfast LA was founded by developer Rick Caruso following the fires.

"Rebuilding the places where people come together is the first step to restoring a community. We saw it at Palisades Village last month, and we're seeing it again today at the Rec Center," Caruso said. "This is what a true public-private partnership can achieve. When government, business, and community come together, we can accelerate real progress and deliver something extraordinary for the people who call this place home."

City News Service