Work is underway on two Little League fields affected by Eton Fire, and the restoration is partial thanks to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
Roma Alta Park in Altadena, home to the Central Altadena Little League, has been closed since the Eton Fire in January.
“We make sure that kids have a place to play and an outlet where they can come and that they have a sense of normalcy,” said Philip Paulana, who played in Little League as a child and is now president.
Pollerana said she lost her home at Eaton Fire and more than 200 young athletes were welcomed by the surrounding leagues.
Pollerana smiled when he heard that the Dodgers Foundation would help the field recover, but said he felt the guilt of the survivors when he learned that the community’s families hadn’t yet brought their children home.
The field is open soon, but lots around the field remain empty.
“It’s not just a safe space,” said Nicole Whiteman, CEO of the LA Dodgers Foundation. “It’s not just something, I call it an outdoor classroom. Again, it’s a part of people who feel like energy and stuff is happening around here.”
The park has two dream fields that serve children aged 5-12. From dirt to grass, fencing, Dodger Stadium scoreboards, these fields nod to the future of Altadena, rooted in the past.
“We want to be foresightful in this reconstruction process,” Pollerana said. “And this is one of the gems here and gives us a vision of how we want our community to be bigger and brighter.”
The project was accelerated to be completed by May 17th. This is the “closing day” of the already full-scale Little League season.
The league plans a party, symbolizing the moment when it starts again.
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