Parks Crews Prepared Memorial Park for Summer Concerts, Rebuilt Fire-Damaged New York Drive Landscape

Pasadena’s Recreation and Parks Commission will receive an update on recent parks maintenance work when it meets Tuesday, Aug. 4, including city crews’ preparation of Memorial Park for a summer concert series and a landscape rehabilitation along fire-damaged New York Drive. 

The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department update, which Recreation and Community Services Administrator Kenny James and Parks Administrator Mel Alonzo are scheduled to present, covers July maintenance activity. 

According to the department report, maintenance crews prepped Memorial Park for the return Levitt Vibe music series, which started July 11 and runs every Saturday through Sept. 12.

As part of that preparation, concertgoers may notice freshly painted lamp posts and benches, replenished rose beds and string lights illuminating the seating area, the report states, work it credits to the department’s maintenance crews. 

The second focus of the update is New York Drive, where the Eatn Fire wrought extensive damage to landscaping and the underground drip irrigation system, according to the report. In response, department crews conducted a comprehensive assessment, removed the damaged irrigation components and installed a new water-efficient drip irrigation system that includes new valves, lateral lines, emitters and related infrastructure. 

Working alongside the city’s landscape maintenance contractor, staff also removed fire-damaged vegetation and installed new trees, shrubs, perennials, mulch and other landscape improvements along the corridor, the report states. 

The update points to the return of summer programming at Memorial Park and to continued recovery from fire damage in the city’s park landscape. Both projects fall within the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department’s operations rather than requiring commission or council action, though the panel’s ongoing oversight fuels its advisory recommendations to the City Council. 

The Recreation and Parks Commission is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in City Yards, Public Works Building, Second Floor, 233 West Mountain Street, in Pasadena. For more information call (626) 744-7311 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/agendas/.