Home Depot Employees Beautify Blythe Street Park

For years Maria Torres was afraid to take her kids to Blythe Street Park, a small dirt field surrounded by apartment buildings on one of the city’s most crime-infested streets.

“The kids would always get a rash because the sand was contaminated and there was broken glass and syringes all over,” said Torres, who has lived next door to the park for seven years.

But on Wednesday that changed as 20 volunteers cleaned up the park, laying 8,400 square feet of grass and planting a colorful variety of flowers.

The volunteers were employees of the nearby Home Depot, which donated all the materials. The retailer, which opened a store in Panorama City last fall, has a company program to beautify and improve communities it serves.

The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks began the much-needed improvements earlier this year by installing an irrigation control system, fresh sand in the play pit and a black iron fence.

The store stepped in and added the final touches Wednesday.

“I grew up here, so I know what it’s like,” said Art Torres, one of the volunteers laying sod. “Basically this park was used as a dumping ground. Now children will finally have a real park to play in.”

Bob Fawcett, project manager for the Department of Recreation and Parks, said the city didn’t have the funds to improve the 50- by 120-foot park sooner.