Veterans Memorial Park: Enthusiastic rebirth

"It's about working with the city, working with the members of the community and other agencies as partners to start a Neighborhood Watch program," he said. "They need to take an investment in this center and park to be able to help us."

At Friday's event, Hopley brought along some patrol officers so that residents would not only feel a sense of safety but give officers a chance to personally meet them, he said.

Their approach will model a similar effort made at Bon View Park when the Dorothy A. Quesada Community Center opened a couple of years ago. The partnership was immediately embraced by the community, and, since then, there have been few incidents with gangs, Hopley said.

This partnership will also include the nonprofit Para Los Ninos, which will be operating the new community center at the park.

As community leaders and residents heralded the improvements, they agreed with Hopley's sentiments.

Parks and Recreation Commission member Rita Nelsen said in the future, additional steps need to be taken to preserve a safe park.

"They need to take ownership of this park or the (gang) element will move in fast," she said.

Nelsen, who has been a park commissioner for 17 years, called the improvements a "gift" to the community.

Ross-Balderama said she knows the community

Judging by the turnout on Friday, she said the park was a much-needed facility for the entire community.

"These kids have nothing to play in other than alleys," said Ross-Balderama, who was referring to the fact that D Street is mostly made up of apartments and condominiums.

Which is why Para Los Ninos is going to be an asset to the community, said Adeline Fernandez, who is the the nonprofit's program manager at the Ontario center.

The center will offer a variety of classes, including parenting, nutrition as well as focusing on physical fitness. All services will be bilingual, she said.

Even though the nonprofit already has a location just 1.2 miles away on Euclid Avenue, it was too far for residents in the area. Now they will be able to take advantage of their services, she said.

"At Para Los Ninos, we are about shaping up the kids because at the end of the day they will be come the civil leaders of tomorrow," said Lisa Hirsch Marin, vice president of Integrated Services for the organization.

In recent years, the community has benefitted by city parks that have been improved, said Chase, who pointed to Bon View and De Anza parks as key examples.

"They are very popular, and there are no signs of any element that was there," Chase said.

Through a $1.9 million Urban State Park grant, officials found the money needed to improve Veterans Memorial Park.

Officials received the funding about five years ago, the same time they received funding to rehabilitate Bon View Park, Chase said.

Bon View Park was the first to receiving the funding. A couple years ago, the Dorothy Quesada Community Center opened at Bon View Park. It was then that officials began to focus their efforts on Veterans.

"We hope they take ownership of our parks, they are a value to communities," Chase said.

As Ross-Balderama watched her son and daughter use the new playground, she thought out aloud.

"I'm going to have to start working out and watch the kids as they play," she said.