Mayor Bass, Councilmember Jurado, LAUSD Superintendent Open New Community School Park in Boyle Heights

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Mayor Karen Bass with Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, LAUSD Superintendent Andrés Chait, Recreation and Parks General Manager Jimmy Kim, and students from Malabar Street Elementary School.

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass joined LAUSD Superintendent Andrés E. Chait, Councilmember Jurado, students, families, and community leaders in Boyle Heights to celebrate the grand opening of the new Community School Park at Malabar Street Elementary School - the 12th site in Los Angeles' growing Community School Parks (CSP) program and the first Community School Park in East Los Angeles. The new park transforms school grounds into a vibrant, welcoming destination where students, families, and neighbors can come together, stay active and enjoy free recreational opportunities outside of school hours.

"Every child deserves a safe place to learn and play, and every neighborhood needs quality parks and recreational space for families," said Mayor Bass. "We are bringing that vision to life in Boyle Heights with the opening of the first Community School Park on the Eastside. 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. We're investing in our kids, our families, and this resilient community."

"For our communities, parks aren't just places to play - access to parks means public safety, free programs for working families, and spaces where everyone belongs," said Councilmember Jurado. "Our favorite parks don't succeed simply because the City opens them and moves on. They succeed by being well-maintained, thoughtfully programmed, and safe and welcoming for everyone who uses them. Our families, school districts and local leaders planning for this park's success from day one means setting a goal for this park to remain a cherished space families enjoy for decades to come."

Since taking office, Mayor Bass has prioritized expanding access to parks and recreational spaces across Los Angeles. In August 2025, the Mayor's Office helped secure a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and Los Angeles Unified School District, creating a more efficient process for Recreation and Parks to pay LAUSD for the use of existing Community School Parks and expedite the opening of additional sites.

"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," said Superintendent Andrés E. Chait. "The opening of our 12th Community School Park at Malabar Street Elementary gives families and community members greater access to these facilities beyond the school day. This reflects our commitment to making Los Angeles Unified's resources available to our communities every day, especially in neighborhoods where access to parks and recreational spaces is limited."

"Opening our 12th Community School Park in Boyle Heights is an important step toward advancing equity and environmental justice across Los Angeles," said Board Vice President Dr. Rocío Rivas. "Every student and family deserves access to safe, welcoming recreational spaces, regardless of their ZIP code. 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."

Under Mayor Bass, the Mayor's Office has helped expand theCSP program to nine of the program's 12 new sites, including the new Community School Park at Malabar Street Elementary School.

In June 2026, the 11th Community School Park opened at Carlos Santana Elementary School in the San Fernando Valley. With today's opening at Malabar Street Elementary School, the program has now reached 12 sites, expanding access to recreational spaces for children and families across Los Angeles.

The expansion of Community School Parks reflects Mayor Bass' commitment to creating more safe, welcoming places for children to play and families to come together, while strengthening partnerships between the City, LAUSD, and local communities.