LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of
Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks today unveiled a
new, state-of-the-art archery range for the city's archery
enthusiasts and future Olympic athletes as L.A. prepares to host
the Olympic Games in 2028. The Easton Rancho Park Archery Range
underwent an extensive $2 million
renovation to replace a smaller, outdated facility with soaring
pavilions and four levels of shooting lanes.
"Los Angeles hit the bullseye
when we landed the 2028 Olympic Games," said Mayor Eric Garcetti. "The Easton Rancho Park Archery
Range is part of an incredible legacy of world-class competition
that brings opportunities for healthy recreation to Angelenos of
all ages."
City Councilman Paul Koretz,
Department of Recreation and Parks General Manager Michael Shull,
LA 2028 Chief Executive Officer Gene
Sykes, Oscar-winning actress and champion archer
Geena Davis, and Easton Sports
Development Foundation founders Jim and
Phyllis Easton joined Mayor Garcetti in celebrating the
grand opening.
"On behalf of LA 2028, we are delighted to celebrate the grand
opening of L.A.'s Easton Rancho Park Archery Range, which will
provide Angelenos with increased access to a beloved Olympic and
Paralympic sport," said Gene Sykes,
CEO of LA 2028. "Today's grand opening underscores two of L.A.'s
greatest strengths as an Olympic and Paralympic host city: our
city's wealth of world-class sports facilities and Angelenos'
passion and deep appreciation for sport."
The Easton Sports Development Foundation built the original
archery range in 1983 as a practice facility for the 1984 Olympics.
The new open-air structure now features 10m, 18m, 30m and 50m
ranges; storage facilities; office space; and an equipment room to
serve members of the public who are beginners as well as
established clubs, enthusiasts, future Olympians and teams from
UCLA and USC.
"The Easton Rancho Park Archery Range is a gift from the Easton
Foundations to the City of Angels and the archery community," said
Jim Easton, chairman of Easton
Sports Development Foundation and a U.S. representative to the
International Olympic Committee. "This new facility is part of the
continuing legacy that was envisioned during the 1984 Olympic Games
to support the great sport of archery."
The project, which took nearly three years to complete, was
spearheaded by Don Rabska, vice
president of Easton Foundations. "The new range has a special
symbolism, and was designed to be aesthetically pleasing and
functional in support of those who pursue archery excellence," said
Rabska.
The new archery range is one of several projects achieved
through a partnership between the Department of Recreation and
Parks and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. The Foundation has been
supporting the city's 50 Parks Initiative, an ambitious plan to
acquire and transform parcels of land into new neighborhood parks.
It is also helping to improve current parks and recreation
programs, with the most recent accomplishment being the upgraded
Easton Rancho Park Archery Range.
"This new state-of-the-art archery range represents the best
example of public-private partnerships," said Judith Kieffer, executive director of the Los
Angeles Parks Foundation. "We're proud to have worked with the
Easton Sports Development Foundation and the parks department to
bring this new amenity to the public."
The Easton Rancho Park Archery Range is located at the Cheviot
Hills Recreation Center and is available for public use, free of
charge. Normal park hours are 8:00 a.m. to
10:00 p.m., seven days a week for those who bring their own
equipment. Beginners' classes and equipment are available on
weekends on a first-come, first-serve basis.
For more information about the Los Angeles Parks Foundation,
please visit www.laparksfoundation.org.
About Easton Rancho Park Archery Range
Originally
built in 1983 as a practice facility for the 1984 Olympics, the
Easton Rancho Park Archery Range has undergone a massive
three-year, $2 million renovation.
Thanks to the work of the Easton Foundations, the Los Angeles
Department of Recreation and Parks, and the Los Angeles Parks
Foundation, the upgraded facility will serve the archery community
and future Olympians as L.A. gears up to host the Olympics in 2028.
Among the few public archery ranges in L.A., the range, which has
10m to 50m ranges, will serve archery enthusiasts and club teams
throughout the area. The facility is free for the public, with
beginners' classes and equipment rentals available on weekends.
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SOURCE Los Angeles Parks Foundation