West LA stretches to Western Ave on its eastern edge, north into the Santa Monica Mountains up to the Pacific Palisades, west to Will Rogers State Beach, and south to Dockweiler Beach, encompassing LAX.

West Los Angeles includes a wide variety of parks, from the recreational fields of Rancho Cienega Park and Cheviot Hills Park, to the popular Pan Pacific Park near the Grove, to the sands of Venice Beach. In addition to the variety of parks, West LA neighborhoods also benefit from their proximity to state parks, beaches, trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, Baldwin Hills, and the Ballona Wetlands, and parks in nearby Beverly Hills, Culver City, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica. After the 2025 Palisades wildfires, fire risk, resilience and recovery are priority concerns.

As in much of Los Angeles, communities in West LA are concerned about people experiencing homelessness occupying limited park space, maintenance and upkeep, and safety. In addition to those concerns, areas of West LA, such as Palms, Arlington Heights, West Adams, and Jefferson Park, expressed concern with park pressure when compared to the rest of the West region due to a higher population density and fewer immediate recreation and park resources.

As part of the ongoing “All About Parks!” initiative, Council District 5 received 1,200 responses to a park needs survey that was conducted within the district in 2024. The survey asked for broad feedback on barriers to park access as well as amenity usage and needs, and detailed feedback on up to 3 existing parks. Council District 5 plans to release this data publicly and is working to utilize the findings in conjunction with equity and Quimby considerations to develop their own prioritization of park improvements.

In the aftermath of the devastating Palisades Fire which occurred in January 2025, there is a heavy focus on recovery in Council District 11. This includes disaster response, impacts on the community, and rebuilding of community infrastructure and assets. Palisades Park Recreation Center was destroyed. The condition of other recreation and parks assets varies.

As in other parts of Los Angeles, residents in West LA would like more neighborhood parks and, specifically, more parks within walking distance.

It was expressed that some neighborhoods in West LA, like Palms, Arlington Heights, West Adams, and Jefferson Park experience localized park pressure in their neighborhood due to a denser, lower income population with fewer immediate park resources and tree canopy cover when compared to other areas in the majority of West LA. It was noted that with future densification along transit corridors, these pressures are likely to increase and community members supported future park investment in areas accessible by transit.

Areas of West LA also have more fluidity with adjacent municipalities like Santa Monica, Culver City, and El Segundo which can positively and negatively impact park pressure. Due to this, community members in West LA have expressed that many people from outside their immediate neighborhoods travel to and utilize their parks and amenities adding to the park pressure of certain recreational facilities. In Palms it was noted that ownership and external municipal pressures impact availability of park space with one of the neighborhood’s parks, Media Park, being operated by, maintained by, and largely serving the adjacent municipality of Culver City.

Parks in West LA are well used, but residents have expressed concerns about cleanliness, maintenance, and safety. They would like to see increased staffing to enhance maintenance, security, and interpretive opportunities, such as rangers providing native plant and ecosystem education. They would also like to see more investment in graffiti removal, sidewalk and trail repair, and bathroom cleanliness. Better lighting and repairs, as well as extended park hours would make parks feel more welcoming.

Seniors are well represented among park users and have advocated for expansion of senior centers and senior recreational programming. Accessibility is another concern for seniors and more broadly.