Tommy's Fields: More Public Playing Fields for Youth

Green space, park access, and trees

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Los Angeles suffers from a severe lack of public playing fields in its parks. The city has approximately 4 soccer fields per every 100,000 residents, while the rest of the nation has nearly 17. Soccer and flag football are the most popular team youth sports in this city, as well as the most diverse, and the city can't accommodate the demand for field space. Tommy's Fields improve our local parks by creating safe athletic fields where children can play both organized (managed by the City of LA) and unstructured sports. Tommy's Fields unite communities, bringing all kinds of children and adults together through play and community events. And Tommy's Fields improve the safety of our parks and the neighborhoods around them by keeping the field/park well-lit and activating land that has often been abandoned, unused, or is simply too large and difficult for the city to maintain.

This grant will support the development of a third Tommy's Field in an underserved part of downtown or east Los Angeles. This public athletic field with lights will improve a local public park and provide yet another very much needed playing field where it is desperately needed. We are in advanced discussions with the city on a final location and expect the field to be developed by 2026 in time for the World Cup events when youth in this city will feel more inspired than ever to PLAY outdoors.

Tommy's Fields have had a significant impact on Los Angeles since the first field opened in fall 2021. Both existing Tommy's Fields have proven that when we build safe public playing fields in parks and schools, the communities surrounding them become safer, more united, and have more fun together. By adding a third Tommy's Field Downtown/East LA, we are increasing the safety of this area of the city by adding a well-lit field where children can play day and night - rain or shine. We are providing more access to affordable city-run athletic programs in that part of town where families often do not have the means to drive to other parts of the city and pay for private athletic programs. We are helping to refurbish underutilized land for the benefit of more youth. And we are inspiring children to engage in physical activities which foster new friendships and benefit their overall mental and physical well-being.

Since opening our first Tommy's Field at Westwood Rec Center in fall 2021, the city has created one of its largest and most successful flag football programs of nearly 250 children on it. Approximately 60,000 children and adults use the field every year for multiple sports, and the field brings significant traffic to this park which was once deserted and relatively unknown to even its neighbors. This field is also one of the only playing fields in the city that has designated "free-play" hours, which means that it is always activated by all different kinds of children playing multiple sports from sunrise to 10 pm. Tommy's Field at Westwood Rec Center and at Vista Del Mar have helped children regain their social skills and build healthy friendships post-pandemic. The impact of each field has been felt across Los Angeles and continues to inspire other Angelenos to improve their local parks and schools in ways meaningful to them. .