by Erin Edwards
Four months after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, displacing families and damaging homes and community spaces, the road to recovery is still long. But on Saturday, a small step forward came in the form of a celebration — the official reopening of Loma Alta Park, the first public park to welcome families back in the Eaton Fire’s aftermath.
The historic park, originally dedicated in 1954 and long a gathering space for the Altadena community, has now been reimagined with expanded playgrounds and community resources. Central to the reopening celebration was the unveiling of Dodgers Dreamfields 66 and 67, made possible by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) in partnership with Los Angeles County Parks, the Play Equity Fund, UCLA Health, the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, and the LA County Parks Foundation.
“While the fires have subsided, the devastation continues,” said Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “We’re not just building fields — we’re restoring a space where families can once again gather, play, and thrive.”
The $400,000 Dodgers Dreamfields investment transformed two youth diamonds with brand-new playing surfaces, enclosed fencing, upgraded infrastructure and LED scoreboards designed to reflect the iconic Dodger Stadium. For the children of Central Altadena Little League, it means one thing above all — they can finally return to their home fields.
The celebration began with a field blessing by Samuel Lopez of the Gabrieleño/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, followed by the national anthem and remarks from Whiteman, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Director of LA County Parks Norma E. García-González, Play Equity Fund President Renata Simril and Dodger pitcher Evan Phillips, who joined the community to support youth participants and celebrate the day.
“To partner on the reopening of the first park after the devastating Eaton Fire is an honor,” said García-González. “These Dreamfields are a symbol of resilience, a spark of joy and a reminder of the strength within this community.”
The field unveiling was just one part of a packed day of free, family-friendly activities designed to welcome residents back. Families enjoyed performances from the Bob Baker Marionettes, a visit from Mickey and Minnie Mouse at the playground ribbon cutting, pool parties, youth baseball and basketball clinics, arts and crafts and a community picnic with music and dancing.
For LADF, the day marked progress in its commitment to complete 75 Dodgers Dreamfields by 2033, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles. With the addition of fields 66 and 67, the Foundation has now impacted over 1.8 million youth and families through this transformative program.
To learn more about the Dodgers Dreamfields program and LADF’s work in Los Angeles communities, visit Dodgers.com/LADF.
Loma Alta Park Reopens with Dodgers Dreamfields 66 & 67 was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.