Over 10 months after the Walt Disney Company pledged $15 million “for initial and immediate response and rebuilding efforts” in the wake of the wildfires that ravaged LA neighborhoods earlier this year, the House of Mouse is putting Imagineers on the ground and playgrounds in the park.
The Bob Iger run WDC is putting $5 million into rebuilding and reimagining the Charles White Park in Altadena, the home of Mikey, Captain America, Toy Story and the Force announced today. Swaths of the five acre park was destroyed by the Eaton fire. Propelled by ferocious winds and never truly contained embers, that blaze in total left around 20 people dead and over 9,000 buildings burnt most beyond repair in January.
Now, as the anniversary of those horrible days nears, a rebirth of sorts is in the mix.
“Los Angeles has been home to The Walt Disney Company since its founding more than a century ago, which is why we felt a special responsibility to help this community rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires earlier this year,” CEO Iger said Monday of the effort and plans to reopen the historically predominantly Black community’s park next year. “I’m incredibly proud of our Imagineers who are volunteering their time and talents to help reimagine cherished public spaces like Charles White Park. Their work is not only a testament to Disney’s creative spirit, but also to our deep commitment to our neighbors throughout this region. We hope this effort brings comfort, joy, and a sense of renewal to the Altadena community for years to come.”
Starting in the days of the Great Depression with the WPA and depicting the life and persons, famous and not so famous of Black America, Charles White became one of the most acclaimed social realist artists of the 20th century. A resident of the culturally rich Altadena for decades, Chicago-born White passed away in 1979 at the age of 61. The much used park was named after him a year later.
“Having a place and space for gathering with friends and neighbors to exchange ideas and share reflections is incredibly meaningful, as our community has been spread across the Los Angeles County area due to the devastating and tragic Eaton Fire,” said the artist’s son Ian White today of the park and Disney’s rebuilding commitment. “What this building will represent in terms of programming possibilities and community engagement is monumental to the spirit of the park and Charles White’s life’s work.”
Incorporating the unincorporated area’s Deodar Cedar pinecones into their designs and resurrecting parts of the park that weren’t total decimated, Disney teams have over the past several months being coordinating with County officials on the new Charles White Park. The plan includes a full-on playground with lots of Disney bells and whistles as well as new community center and amphitheater for the whole Altadena population.
Similar to almost every business and company in LA, Disney was hit by the fires. Over 150 Disney staffers lost their homes during those devastating days — with 15 of those employees being Imagineers themselves.
To that, in addition to Charles White Park, as we head deep into the end of the year and the holidays, Disney Imagineers are working on two other park projects in Altadena for a 2026 completion.
The company is also supporting Altadena’s over 125-year-old Christmas Tree Lane Lighting Ceremony and Winter Festival this year. Known as one of the largest Christmas displays on the planet, the Lighting Ceremony and Winter fest will kick off on December 6. In the sprit of good corporate citizenry, Disney is set to donate well over 1,000 toys to the community’s annual toy drive that same December night.
On January 10 as over 10,000 acres in Altadena, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena and the Hollywood Hills were scorched, Disney made public its $15 million and more commitment to LA and Angelenos. With much more need to be done and many without having even been able to start rebuilding, a portion of the Disney money went to and continues to go to the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, among others.
