The new play structure is a welcome amenity on the southwest side of Pan Pacific Park. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Families are enjoying a new play structure for tots and toddlers that was erected in Pan Pacific Park in place of one destroyed by an arsonist on July 12.

The new play structure was installed by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks through a collaboration with the Los Angeles Parks Foundation and Hackman Capital Partners, owner of Television City. Hackman donated $236,000 for the play structure, and the L.A. Parks Foundation helped guide the installation process.

Carolyn Ramsay, executive director of the L.A. Parks Foundation, said it was devastating to learn that someone burned the play structure, which was designed for children 2-5 and attracted countless families to the park. Authorities believe a homeless individual was responsible. Nobody has been arrested for the arson.

“It was a sad situation, a children’s playground torched in the night,” Ramsay said.

She added that it was a priority to quickly restore the playground, and she thanked Hackman Capital Partners for the contribution. The city identified a contractor already working on city playground improvements, allowing for a streamlined approval process, Ramsay added.

“They were able to turn the design around very quickly,” she said. “The rain we had in January delayed it a little bit, but even though we had a lot of rain, we were still able to get it installed in record time. Everybody worked together to make this happen.”

The play structure was installed at the end of January and is located in the southwestern portion of Pan Pacific Park, near Third Street and The Grove Drive. Plans are being made for a grand opening ceremony in the near future.

Larchmont Village resident April Goicovich brought her 3-year-old son to the playground on Feb. 21 and said she was “pleasantly surprised” to see the restored play structure.

“It is the first time we have been [to Pan Pacific Park] for a couple years. This [play structure] is better that the old one,” Goicovich said. “We didn’t come during COVID because there were so many homeless people here and it didn’t feel safe. Now we feel more comfortable here.”

Hackman Capital Partners is planning an expansion at the Television City studio lot, which is located near Pan Pacific Park. The donation for the playground was part of an effort by the company to improve the surrounding community.

“Pan Pacific Park is a jewel in our Beverly-Fairfax community,” said Zach Sokoloff, senior vice president for Hackman Capital Partners. “When we heard the play structure was vandalized, we immediately offered our help to rebuild the destroyed structure. We are so thrilled that parents and families can once again enjoy a park where kids can be free to be kid again. Further, an important element of our modernization plan is to improve connectivity between the studio and the park. We look forward to finding new ways to partner with Pan Pacific Park and other stakeholders to improve the quality of life in the Beverly-Fairfax district.”

Ramsay said she hopes the partnership will serve as a model and will inspire other companies and developers to make improvements in local parks.

“Angelenos love their parks,” Ramsay added. “The parks foundation is very grateful to the Hackman group and hopes other corporate partners will step up in the same way.”