Cerritos

The City Council has agreed to participate in a summer recreation program funded by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee.

Cerritos is among 17 cities in Southern California that are to receive slices of a $2-million grant from the $225 million surplus generated by the Games. Those cities either hosted events or training sites for the Games, and the money--which will be used to expand hours and staffing at recreation sites--is a “thank you” for their participation, LAOOC officials said.

In Cerritos, foreign swimmers trained before and during the Games at the city’s Olympic Swim Center, which was closed to other use for nearly two months. The City Council voted April 3 to accept $22,500 from the LAOOC through its newly established Amateur Athletics Foundation.

The money will allow Cerritos officials to hire extra staff members to expand operations by 200 hours a week at four parks. In addition, the city will participate in Summer Games ‘85, a series of special athletic competitions at parks and playgrounds in the 17 designated cities. To accommodate the 10-week program--which begins in late June--both the Cerritos High School gymnasium and Gahr High School track will be open.

Pico Rivera and Long Beach also will receive a share of the Olympic surplus to expand summer recreation programs. Under the grant, Pico Rivera will get $11,000 and Long Beach $111,585.