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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: P.J. Mellana, Director of Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to receive and file the City of Bellflower’s Letter of Interest to serve as the Gateway Cities Hub Lead for the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District Adaptive Sports Initiative.
DATE: September 28, 2026
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On September 22, 2026, the City submitted a Letter of Interest to the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) to serve as the Gateway Cities Hub Lead for its Adaptive Sports Initiative.
Multiple agencies may submit Letters of Interest to represent the Gateway Cities region.
Bellflower’s submission requests consideration as the regional Hub Lead and allows RPOSD and the City to further evaluate the opportunity. It does not accept grant funding, authorize a new position, or commit the City to General Fund support or other unfunded obligations.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Receive and file the City of Bellflower’s Letter of Interest to serve as the Gateway Cities Hub Lead for the RPOSD Adaptive Sports Initiative; or
2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with submitting or receiving and filing the Letter of Interest.
RPOSD has indicated that funding would be available for a dedicated full-time coordinator, including salary and benefits, up to $200,000 annually for three years. The City’s interest assumes that RPOSD would also fund or provide the technical assistance, training, programming resources, adaptive equipment, accessibility improvements, and other support necessary to implement the initiative.
Any grant acceptance, staffing action, budget amendment, facility improvement, or City funding commitment would be presented separately for City Council consideration. 1 Staff Report – RPOSD Adaptive Sports Initiative LOI
September 28, 2026
DISCUSSION
RPOSD is developing a countywide Adaptive Sports Initiative supported by approximately $20 million in Measure A funding over three years. The initiative would expand adaptive sports and recreation through six regional hubs. Bellflower is within the Gateway Cities region designated as Hub 6, where multiple agencies may seek consideration as the regional lead.
RPOSD invited interested agencies to submit Letters of Interest addressing their qualifications, administrative capacity, regional partnerships, staffing approach, and potential programming sites. If selected, Bellflower would hire an RPOSD-funded, full- time City coordinator within six months, subject to final grant terms and City approval. The coordinator would manage the hub’s regional coordination, partnerships, program calendar, RPOSD reporting, and related responsibilities. Participating agencies would receive program grants directly from RPOSD rather than through Bellflower.
The opportunity aligns with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan’s priorities for adaptive and inclusive recreation, regional partnerships, accessible facilities, and appropriate staffing. The Bellflower Aquatic Center, Caruthers Park, Thompson Park, and Simms Park are identified as initial programming candidates. Fields and gymnasiums could be made available based on program needs and scheduling. Any site would require accessibility, safety, and operational review, with RPOSD support needed for necessary improvements. The future Bellflower Sports Park, adjacent to Riverview Park, represents a longer-term opportunity rather than an immediate commitment.
Existing staff can provide oversight but cannot absorb the daily responsibilities of leading a regional hub. Bellflower’s interest is therefore conditioned on sufficient RPOSD funding and technical support. If Bellflower is selected for further consideration, staff will return with the proposed grant terms and an assessment of the fiscal, staffing, facility, and operational impacts before the City makes a final commitment.
ATTACHMENT
City of Bellflower Letter of Interest – RPOSD Adaptive Sports Initiative……………………3 2 3
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