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| Sam Yellen Park Expansion and Community Preservation Program Earn Top Regional APWA Recognition |
The City of Palmdale is thrilled to accept two prestigious awards from the American Public Works Association (APWA), including a major victory from the APWA Southern California Chapter for its groundbreaking Community Preservation Program, where Palmdale came out on top against Los Angeles County’s significantly larger cities. The City also earned top honors from the APWA High Desert Branch for Phase II of the Sam Yellen Park expansion. These two awards showcase Palmdale’s leadership in finding innovative solutions and creating extraordinary spaces.
This year, competition in the Southern California Chapter was fierce. There were nearly 200 projects submitted for review from more than 75 different agencies. The level of competition, innovation and collaboration was substantial. For Palmdale to be selected as the recipient is a testament to the City’s dedication, ingenuity and service to the community.
The Community Preservation Program is the first of its kind in the Antelope Valley and completely revolutionized how Palmdale tackles quality-of-life issues. The program revamped how teams respond to graffiti, how dispatchers coordinate efforts and how quickly residents see results. Response times plummeted from one week to just 48 hours.
Palmdale didn’t stop there. Developed by listening to feedback from residents and funded by Measure AV, this innovative initiative attacks illegal dumping and homelessness with a one-two punch of action and compassion. The program protects against the damaging effects of illegal dumping by quickly restoring Palmdale’s beautiful desert landscape. Staff work to end the cycle for individuals experiencing homelessness by connecting them to real help and critical services through supportive outreach. The collaborative effort with Los Angeles County, nonprofit organizations and neighbors caused reviewers at the APWA Southern California Chapter to take notice and award Palmdale this prestigious honor.
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The City’s second award was from the APWA High Desert Branch and recognized Palmdale’s stunning $18.5 million Sam Yellen Park Phase II project, which doubled the park’s footprint to 24.5 acres and transformed bare land into a recreational paradise. The park includes seven premier futsal courts, expanded playgrounds where kids’ laughter fills the air, a spacious gathering plaza that’s perfect for activities and a beautiful 1,888-square-foot community room that’s buzzing with year-round programming. The expansion was made possible by using revenue from Park Development funds and Measures A and AV, and represents an investment that creates memories for generations.
“These awards are proof that when you truly invest in your community, amazing things happen,” said Mayor Pro Tem Laura Bettencourt. “Sam Yellen Park is a destination where families create memories that last a lifetime, and our Community Preservation Program is restoring pride in our neighborhoods every single day. From kids playing on our world-class facilities to residents seeing their streets clean and cared for, this is what it looks like when a city puts its people first. We’re not just winning awards, we’re building a Palmdale that works for everyone.”
The APWA celebrates public works excellence that demonstrates innovation, real-world impact and genuine benefits to the community. These two awards are just the latest in Palmdale’s impressive record with the AWPA. It was previously recognized with the Best Improvement for Public Safety Award in 2024 by the APWA High Desert Branch for the Avenue R Complete Streets project, two 2019 Project of the Year Awards by APWA Southern California Chapter for the Pelona Vista Park Fitness Court and Upper Amargosa Creek Recharge Projects and, in 2011, became the first City in Los Angeles County to earn full APWA Accreditation for its Public Works department.
For more information about the Sam Yellen Park expansion, visit www.CityOfPalmdaleCA.gov/827/Sam-Yellen-Park-Dog-Park, or to report an issue for the Community Preservation Program, visit www.CityofPalmdaleCA.gov/Report.
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Posted on Dec 18, 2025 17:30pm by admin
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