San Pedro : Name Change for Center

A citizens’ advisory committee has recommended that Los Angeles change the name of San Pedro Recreation Center to Martin J. Bogdanovich Recreation Center in honor of the founder of Star-Kist Foods Inc.

The committee also recommended that the city develop new athletic fields at two San Pedro locations to replace fields that will be lost this month when the Air Force takes control of the current Martin J. Bogdanovich Recreation Center on 25th Street.

In letters to Mayor Tom Bradley and Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores of the harbor area, the committee proposed that the fields be developed on land near Angels Gate Park, which would be leased from the Los Angeles Unified School District, and a portion of county-run Friendship Park, which is adjacent to San Pedro Recreation Center.

The committee concluded that San Pedro Recreation Center, which has a full-time staff and includes a gymnasium, meeting room and several fields, would be a fitting memorial to Bogdanovich. The current park named in his memory has two playing fields but no staff members. It will be developed into military housing.

The recommendations, expected to be endorsed by both Bradley and Flores, must be approved by the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners and the City Council.