Altadena

Farnsworth Park Restoration Begins this Week

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Also published on 2 November 2026 on Hey SoCal

An Altadena property in the Eaton Fire zone is clear of debris and ready for rebuilding in July 2025. | Photo courtesy of LA County/Flickr

Since the Charles S. Farnsworth Park opened in 1934, it has served as the center of civic, cultural, and social life for generations of Altadenans. The park’s upper and lower ball fields – popularly called “The Hill” – have been the primary home venue of the Central Altadena Little League. Four permanent pickleball courts and several tennis courts have regularly hosted community-wide competitions. The outdoor basketball courts have been the site for local three-on-three community tournaments, pickup games, and youth sports skills camps.       

For 90 years, the William D. Davies Memorial Building at Farnworth Park has been the scene of community  meetings, scout gatherings, and neighborhood association functions. Private celebrations – weddings, birthdays parties, and family receptions – have been held there, as well as school and community reunions, concert receptions, historical talks, and local film or photo shoots.             

Its WPA-built wood amphitheater has been the longtime home of the Altadena Music Theatre  staging community theatre productions, tribute acts, and live musical performances. The Altadena Rotary Club and LA County Parks & Recreation have been hosting the long-running free Saturday evening concert series there.    

The William D. Davies Memorial Building at Gen. Charles S. Farnsworth County Park shortly after the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in 2025. | Photo courtesy of LA County

The Eaton Fire demolished 9,000 structures in Altadena, including the William Davies Memorial Building, the 500-seat outdoor amphitheater, the District Ranger Office and adjacent garage, and the north and south picnic tables. Farnsworth Park remained fenced-off in the aftermath of the fire due to debris removal and safety assessments. It was a loss of enormous proportion to a community that had already endured much heartbreak when all their possessions and homes burned to the ground.

Restoration planning and fundraising began immediately following the Eaton Fire, which brought some consolation for Altadenans still grieving after the devastation. In November 2025, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger announced the county had secured over $60 million for recovery projects – $8.75 million of which was allocated to fund Phase I and II of Farnsworth Park’s restoration.

In July this year, LA County Parks published formalized amenity and infrastructure recovery timelines. The US Army Corps of Engineers managed debris removal and architectural preservation to clear the site for the incoming construction crews. In September, the LA Dodgers Foundation (LADF) announced support of Altadena’s recovery with the development of two new Dodgers Dreamfields at the park.

A property cleared and ready for rebuild. | Photo courtesy Helen Chavez / Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Office

On Thursday, November 5, Kathryn Barger, LA County Parks, and the Los Angeles County Parks Foundation will lead a groundbreaking ceremony for LADF’s $1.4 million donation that will build the two new Dodgers Dreamfields and reintroduce safe spaces for local youths and families to gather at. It is another milestone in the ongoing recovery efforts which Barger has been tirelessly working on.

By email Barger discusses her initial thoughts when she visited Farnworth Park, the progress on the recovery efforts, and the impact of the restored park to the community.   

“I visited Farnsworth Park on January 8, the day after the fire began – it was one of my first stops as I toured the burn area in those early days,” Barger recalls. “My first feeling was disbelief. I have so many memories anchored there: concerts, little league games, picnics, community events. It was hard to take in that a place that had anchored so much of this community’s life was suddenly gone. That is why restoring it matters so much to me. Farnsworth has been part of the lives of generations of Altadena families, and I wholeheartedly believe parks are the heartbeat of this community.”

LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, second from right, visits the LA/Altadena Fire Victims’ Assistance Center at New Revelation Baptism Church in Pasadena, Jan. 17, 2025. | Photo by Michael Owen Baker / Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Office

The LA Dodger Foundation’s involvement was voluntary. “The LA Dodgers Foundation took the initiative and came forward of their own volition, looking for ways to help wildfire survivors and the Eaton Fire recovery effort,” discloses Barger. “Their generous support and commitment will be visible in the two Farnsworth Park Dodgers Dreamfields where baseball will restart for local kids and families. LA County’s Department of Parks and Recreation is leading the restoration, and the park will also include a Reflection Garden honoring Altadena residents and a STEM wall. We’ll share a firm timeline for completion as construction progresses.”

Barger emphasizes, “The Los Angeles County Parks Foundation secured $64 million in grants and from philanthropy for our parks. To clarify, these are not County funds. LA County’s Department of Parks and Recreation is using those resources to restore Altadena’s parks after the Eaton Fire. Loma Alta Park was the first to reopen, on May 17, 2025 – just four months after the fire. We broke ground on Charles White Park on October 3, 2026, and on November 5 we will celebrate the groundbreaking at Farnsworth Park. The LA County Parks Foundation is still raising private funds to complete Farnsworth and to support other sites, including the Eaton Canyon Nature Center and Natural Area. I appreciate and thank every donor who has stepped up.” 

LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, second from left, visits the LA/Altadena Fire Victims’ Assistance Center at New Revelation Baptism Church in Pasadena, Jan. 17, 2025. | Photo by Michael Owen Baker / Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Office

Asked what she hopes to see on the second anniversary of the Eaton Fire, Barger replies, “Altadena’s parks are among the clearest signs of progress. Loma Alta reopened in May 2025, Charles White broke ground on October 3, and Farnsworth breaks ground on November 5. Behind each of those milestones are families rebuilding and neighbors supporting one another. On the second anniversary, I hope to continue seeing a community that is becoming whole again: more families back in their homes, more home and business corridor construction, parks and gathering places open and full, and Altadena’s resilient spirit on full display.”

A completely rebuilt Farnsworth Park will be of great significance to the community, as Barger declares. “Farnsworth Park was like a historic town square for Altadena. Its return will bring back sports, community, and culture. Neighbors will reunite, baseball will restart at two beautiful Dodgers Dreamfields, and families and visitors will again enjoy this special gem nestled in the foothills.”                                     

Saint Mark’s School Welcomes New Headmaster

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment
A residential neighborhood along Mendocino Lane in Altadena, with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background.

Originally published on 16 July 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

There is a little known enclave north of Pasadena where life is serene, neighbors still greet each other, and one can practically touch the mountain. This small community is Altadena, a name derived from a combination of the Spanish word “alta”, meaning upper, and “dena” from Pasadena. 

It is a quaint community with horse properties and homes’ backyards open onto trails. There are very few multi-storied establishments and whatever landmarks had stood before, remain to this day – St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, the Zane Grey Estate, the Balian Mansion. It is where one can find Christmas Tree Lane, a California Historical Landmark. 

Another stalwart of the community is Saint Mark’s School, founded in 1960 by a group of dedicated parents who saw a need for quality education in a racially integrated setting. It has since grown into a well-respected preK-6th grade school that provides a strong academic curriculum that fosters critical thinking and creativity while instilling in its students a strong sense of moral and ethical responsibility. Dr. Doreen Oleson, who last month retired as its Head of School for 25 years, started her term when there were only a hundred students. While the school’s enrollment has increased to 350, each year it sees applications continue to rise and its geographic area widen with families from not only Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and La Canada, but also neighborhoods such as Silver Lake, Highland Park, and Los Feliz.  

For a while they had contemplated extending the school to reach 8th grade, but they realized that  they are best at their niche and scrapped that plan. According to Oleson, “We consciously decided not to go all the way to 8th grade. We built our reputation as a strong, independent school where kids stay with us for ten years and then they go on to middle school, equipped with a strong foundation.”

Photo taken from Saint Mark’s brochure

Oleson believes a small class size ensures that children get all the attention and support they need to prepare them for middle school. There are 34 faculty members who teach the core subjects, and supplemental studies in the arts, music, languages and physical education. Saint Mark’s also has a librarian, information service technician, counselor and education specialist. 

It was Oleson who was instrumental in putting in place all of Saint Mark’s successful programs and garnering national recognition for the school. She leaves the school with a legacy of turning out students who are not just academically accomplished but who are self-confident, self-reliant, and responsible to themselves, their families, their school, and the world community.

These very qualities in Saint Mark’s graduates were what impressed Jennifer Foley Tolbert while she was middle school director at Pasadena’s prestigious Polytechnic School. When Oleson announced her retirement and the school’s search for its next Head of School, Tolbert didn’t hesitate to toss her hat in the ring. The ensuing national search attracted the most respected names in academia but her qualifications (a Master’s degree in Educational Administration  from Columbia University, a Bachelor’s degree in English from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont) combined with a network of local contacts and experience made her a standout among the applicants.

And so on the 1st of July this year, Tolbert officially took over as Head of School. Asked what attracted her to this school, she replies, “ I know that Saint Mark’s takes seriously its charge to serve as a critical and strong foundation for young children. There is great pride in a Saint Mark’s education. I’m impressed by its founders and the teachers, its strong reputation in the community and the character education that comes with it. The school teaches about what it means to be a good person and a good citizen. As an Episcopal school, Saint Mark’s values a culture of inquiry; it’s a place where we encourage children to ask questions.”

As to what she brings to this job, Tolbert’s says “… my experience in a variety of roles and schools; a lot of energy, a love for children, and new ideas. I come with a network of great mentors and relationships within our local and national school community. I also bring a personal and professional commitment to the same values and belief in diversity and putting children first.”

According to Tolbert “… the first order of business when the staff, administrators, and students arrive in the Fall, will be for me to observe, ask questions and listen. This approach will be important in figuring out priorities and areas that I need to focus on. I plan to get a sense of what’s working well and what needs to be improved upon as a way of informing next steps.”

One important aspect of private school education that Tolbert will be there to oversee is the accreditation process that will be coming up in two years. The results of this process will serve  as the road map for Saint Mark’s future plans.

As Oleson prepared to leave Saint Marks at the end of June, she said, “While I enjoyed the 25 years I spent here, I am happy to go on to the next phase of my life. I am very confident that I am leaving Saint Mark’s in Jenn’s competent hands.” For her part, Tolbert says, “I am honored to be following the footsteps of a warm and beloved presence. I will take very good care of her legacy.”