June 21, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Brentwood Beat: Back by Popular Demand: Brentwood Green Park to Reopen

By Jeff Hall

I grew up in a town where all schools were always open after hours and on weekends.  We had full access to playing fields, jungle gyms, and swing sets all the time.  

My elementary school hired monitors who checked out equipment, watched over the kids, and provided Band-Aids when needed.  The school was a very short walk from home.  

Just about every afternoon or weekend, that was the place where kids hung out. Schools are supposed to serve their surrounding communities, right? The idea of using schools as parks seems like a no-brainer. 

But the idea of using local schools as open playgrounds absolutely wasn’t a no-brainer in Brentwood in the late nineties.   

Back in those days, just about all public schools in LAUSD had paved over their green grass with asphalt, so as to reduce landscaping, irrigation and gardening costs.  

Moreover, LAUSD locked up all its school properties after school and on weekends. This was to prevent or reduce vandalism, theft, graffiti and physical injuries. 

But blacktops generate a lot of heat and kids like to play on grass. Adults like open spaces, too.  And in Brentwood, there just aren’t that many open spaces to gather. 

Starting around 1997, an interesting idea started to take hold after LAUSD announced it was going to spend about $900,000 to replace the asphalt playground at Brentwood Science Magnet School with new asphalt: Why not use that money plus raise more money from the community to green the campus and open up the campus on weekends?  

Brentwood Science Magnet School is on the south side of San Vicente, bordered by Bundy to the east, Montana to the south and Gretna Green to the west. This block of Gretna Green is where the Farmers Market is held each Sunday. 

Several local leaders, including Barbara Goldenberg, Tom Safran, Jackie Raymond, Judy Jonas Scott MacGilllvray and Larry Watts got behind the idea of the park.  

Brentwood Green at Brentwood Science Magnet School was organized as a 501(c)(3) public benefit charitable corporation to raise the money and turn the dream into reality.

There were significant bureaucratic hurdles to overcome, both on the part of the city and LAUSD. Nothing like this had ever been done before. Moreover, the project was going to require real money. But the community quickly coalesced around the idea and it took on a momentum of its own.  

Local businesses pledged support, private money was raised, the asphalt was removed, trees were planted, gardens were planted, too.  A grassy field replaced what was formerly a big swath of asphalt. Playground equipment was installed. 

I remember joining a small army of volunteers one day to plant trees.  I can’t recall the year; it seems like a long time ago, now. But I recall vividly how everyone got into the spirit of things. It was a wonderful day.

The park remained open for many years, an obvious and popular success.  

Unfortunately during the pandemic LAUSD closed down all its schoolyards.  The gates were locked and the open areas were once again off-limits to the public.  How very sad for Brentwood.

But good ideas never really die; they have a way of resurfacing, often with needed tweaks to make them better, more accommodating in recognition of changed conditions. 

So about two years ago, with the pandemic largely behind us, Brentwood Green the board of Brentwood Green went back to LAUSD to get the community school park reopened.

With help from the Brentwood Community Council, spearheaded by chairwoman Carolyn Jordan and a new batch of volunteers that has joined forces with the old guard, there is a new wave of support.  

After lengthy discussions, Brentwood Green will once again open to the public, accessible by the public at the same time the Farmers Market is open on Sundays (8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.). 

The park will reopen is this Sunday, August 18.  Everybody take note: We need to keep the park clean and no dogs are allowed. If we can’t do that, we risk losing the park again.  

Dogs have been an issue at the Farmers Market, too; surely we can leave Fido at home for a few hours.  

We aren’t out of the woods, yet.  The school needs financial support to pay for a playground monitor, janitorial services and other costs involved with operating a public park.  

As we did before, let’s all pitch in. Please go to BrentwoodGreen.org/donate.  There you can learn more about the project and make a donation.   

Those interested in learning more are invited to send an email to info@bcc90049.org.

Related Posts

Brentwood Book Signing Explores Why Wolves Matter to Nature’s Balance

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Children’s Author Karen B. Winnick to Appear June 22 at DIESEL, A Bookstore Children’s author and wildlife advocate Karen B....

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

LA City Councilwomen Yaroslavsky and Jurado Call for Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Raids

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

City Motion Targets Alleged Unconstitutional Tactics, End Qualified Immunity for Fed Officers  City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

Princess Diana’s Largest Wardrobe Auction Set for Beverly Hills

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Over 200 Royal Garments to Hit the Auction Block for Charity More than 200 garments and royal artifacts, including the...

Queer Beauty Through the Ages: Getty Hosts Lecture on Greek Art’s Influence on LGBTQ Aesthetics

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Art Historian to Trace Homoerotic Imagery From Ancient Greece to Modern Queer Identity As part of its ongoing Pride Month...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Navy Vietnam Vet Finally Gets His UCLA Commencement Moment

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

John Fong, 80, Missed His Graduation in 1968 While in Vietnam  Nearly six decades after completing his studies, U.S. Navy...

Films, Flair, and Panoramas: Free Cultural Events Light Up The Ebell This Week

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

The Ebell Theatre Hosts a Double Feature of Films, Plus a Coffee Talk A pair of free public events this...

9th Circuit Court Backs Trump in Battle Over California National Guard Control

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Federal Judges Allow Trump to Retain Command of Troops in Los Angeles Federal judges on Thursday cleared the way for...

Nightly I-405 Lane Closures Begin June 23 for Sepulveda Pass Rehab

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Caltrans Will Shut Down Select Lanes Nightly Through June 28 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced overnight lane...

Brentwood Weekly Crime Report: June 8, 2025 – June 14, 2025

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

SLO Kirk Resumes Reports with Roundup of Brentwood Crimes In the first Brentwood crime report released since Senior Lead Officer...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

(Video) The Guest List Collab Dinner with Chef Raphael Lunetta and Chef Alan Wong

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Held at Marelle Restaurant at The Sandbourne Hotel in Santa Monica. An Incredible mix of Hawaiian and Santa Monica’s flavors...

Summer Pop-Ups Serve Crullers, Challah Donuts, Croissants, Coffee and Musical Vibes

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Nyletta Nyletta, Challah Dad, Des Croissants Paris Bring Pastry Delights to Culver City A pair of sweet summer pop-ups are...