Funding approved for Ovrom Park

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday approved funding for the $8.2-million Robert R. Ovrom Park project.

The park project, on the corner of South San Fernando Boulevard and Cedar Avenue, includes a planned 7,000-square-foot community center and a 1.4-acre park.

Construction is set to begin this month and, when completed in October, it will be the 25th park in Burbank and will bring the area out of the shadows of blight, Councilman Dave Golonski said.

“What we have here is an asset we can deliver to the community,” said Golonski, one of four on the dais who approved the funding.

Plans for the 7,000-square-foot neighborhood community center include a kitchen, public computers and a community room available for birthday parties and other celebrations.

The 1.4-acre park will have a regulation-size basketball court, separate play areas for children and an open turf area with barbecues and picnic tables.

The size of the park — Ovrom would be the fourth smallest park in the city — was an issue that some council members addressed.

“We wish it was two or three times the size,” Golonski said. “But all around it’s going to be a great park.”

Councilman David Gordon, who cast the lone dissenting vote on the issue, also took issue with the park’s size.

“I don’t see that this small pocket park will do to eliminate blight, though it will help,” Gordon said.

Jack Lynch, Burbank’s deputy housing and redevelopment manager, sought to alleviate those concerns.

“This is a rather residential area that has been very underserved for many years for park space,” he said. “This is not the nicest of areas, but we think this will help private investment in the area.”

Gordon went on to question the use of funds for the project.

“It seems to me we’re looking at over $8 million for a basketball court, some green space and a building on the order of 7,000 square feet,” he said.

“Has there been any consideration given not to go ahead with the building as opposed to just having it an open green space?”

To change the plans now would be against the neighborhood’s wishes, City Manager Mary Alvord said.

“The community was very involved with the final plan,” she said. “They came up with just about any facility you could think of because their needs were not met.”

Golonski rejected talk of ridding the project of the community center.

“The concept of eliminating the recreation center is a huge mistake,” he said. “I think you will find this recreation center in this area will be very heavily used.”

Councilman Gary Bric agreed that the project is vital to cleaning up the area.

“South San Fernando was such an ugly, blighted area for so many years,” he said. “This is money well spent.”

The park is named after former City Manager Robert “Bud” Ovrom, who preceded Alvord in the position.

 JEREMY OBERSTEIN covers City Hall and public safety. He may be reached at (818) 637-3242 or by e-mail at jeremy.oberstein@ latimes.com.