The Beverly Hills Recreation and Parks Commission provided updates on park improvement projects at its Nov. 25 meeting.
Recreation Services Manager Michael Muse gave an update on the pickleball court renovations at La Cienega Tennis Center and Roxbury Park. Muse said that the resurfacing of the courts at both La Cienega and Roxbury has been completed and that new wind screens have also been installed. The resurfacing included 12 new pickleball courts at La Cienega and four new courts at Roxbury Park. Muse added that the last part of the Pickleball Pilot Program is the rollout of the “Playbypoint” app that will aid in scheduling the different courts and be implemented in January.
Commissioner Tara Riceberg expressed concern over possible injuries that could occur due to the narrow spacing between each court, since they were drawn according to Pickleball USA’s recommended guidelines. She recommended staff communicate to players to take extra caution.
City staff is currently deciding on a contractor for the La Cienega Park Playground Improvements Project and will update the commission once a selection is made, said Recreation Services Manager Adrine Ovasapyan. The Beverly Hills City Council approved the playground redesign in September, which will feature a natural environment theme with topographic changes, vibrant colors, a rubber pour-in-place safety surface, new trees, benches, fencing and an ADA travel path also serving as an imaginary stream.
Ovasapyan also updated the commission on large park signage. Staff has conducted a full inventory of all signage in city parks to determine the best ways to update signage to be as effective as possible. Staff will return with a thorough plan on the best ways to update signage, she added.
Chair Deborah Termeie emphasized the importance of park signage after witnessing a dog owner violate park rules at Roxbury Park by walking her dog unleashed. Muse said that unleashed dog walking has been an ongoing problem due to owners walking their dogs unleashed before park rangers arrive at 7 a.m. Staff is currently working on solutions, Muse added, which include having park rangers track repeat offenders and also by increasing the visibility of the dog park, where off-leash walking is permitted. Riceberg also suggested the possibility of implementing enclosed batting cages where dogs could run around unleashed safely. Termeie added that owners should be aware of coyotes in the area near Roxbury Park.
Riceberg also commended staff on working with residents to allow the use of personal grills to cook food at parks if they have dietary or religious restrictions and want to avoid the public grills. At Roxbury Park, visitors can call the community center to arrange to use their own grills, which staff evaluates on a case-by-case basis.
Muse also updated the community on the status of digital displays at Roxbury Park and La Cienega Community Centers, which show flyers, slideshows and event photos, and are updated monthly to promote programs and activities to reduce printed materials. Muse said that a digital display was placed in the Roxbury Park Community Center lobby, but he is considering a new location for the display after community members expressed a desire for the display to be more visible to passersby. The La Cienega Community Center digital display was placed in a location in the lobby that is visible from outside the building, he added.
