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LA kicks off Summer Night Lights program
from Kristin Sabo (parks volunteer)
Monday, June 29, 2009
The city of Los Angeles reinstated its summer long push to cut down on gangs in local parks. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LAPD Chief William Bratton and other community leaders kicked off the Summer Night Lights program on Monday.
This year the program will expand from eight to 16 parks. The Summer Night Lights programs include keeping city parks open after dark and offering organized activities and after-school programs for at risk youth. The program will also help teens find jobs.
This is the second year of the Summer Night Lights program. Last year, officials say communities experienced a 17 percent drop in violent gang-related crime, an 86 percent reduction in homicides and a 23 percent decrease in aggravated assaults.
"This is our chance to build on last summer's success and take back our parks and our communities," said Mayor Villaraigosa.
The mayor says the Summer Night Lights program gives kids opportunities and a safe place to spend the summer.
| The “Summer Night Lights” program will take place in fifteen (15) facilities in the Mayor's Gang Reduction and Youth Development Zones. The program kicks off July 8 until September 5. The 2009 “Summer Night Lights” program will provide these fun-filled, positive opportunities (youth sport leagues, extended swimming pool hours, skate parks, art, educational activities, etc.) for our young people and families living in the most violence-ridden communities throughout the City. |
The participating parks and locations are:
- Cypress Park Recreation Center - Northeast
- Denker Recreation Center - Southwest
- Edward R. Roybal Learning Center - Rampart
- Glassell Park - Northeast
- Harvard Recreation Center - 77th Division
- Hubert Humphrey - Pacoima/Foothill
- Imperial Courts Recreation Center - Watts/Southeast
- Jim Gilliam Park - Baldwin Village/ Southwest
- Jordan Downs Recreation Center - Watts/Southeast
- Lemon Grove Recreation Center - Hollywood
- Mount Carmel Park - Florence-Graham/ 77th Division
- Nickerson Gardens Recreation Center - Watts/Southeast
- Ramon Garcia Recreation Center - Boyle Heights/ Hollenbeck
- Ross Snyder Recreation Center - Newton
- Hubert Humphrey Memorial Park - Pacoima/ Foothill
- Ramona Gardens Recreation Center - Hollenbeck
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Kristin C. Sabo
ksabo@wildwildwest.org
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