PCC, A Friend of La Laguna

In 2006, a local playground was set to be demolished. La Laguna de San Gabriel, affectionately known as “Dinosaur Park,” was built in 1965 and, for many, holds historical significance.

“I grew up playing at Dinosaur Park,” says PCC History Department Chair Eloy Zárate. “When I heard about the city’s plans to demolish it, I knew I had to act.”

Alongside his wife, PCC adjunct faculty Senya Lubisich, Eloy co-founded Friends of La Laguna to restore the park and educate the community about its creator, Benjamin Dominguez: a Mexican artist who immigrated to the US in 1956.

Benjamin Dominguez built fantasy playgrounds throughout the Southwest from (1956-1965). La Laguna was the last playground he designed and is one of only three that remain in all Southern California.

Friends of La Laguna have protected and restored the playground for almost two decades. They have successfully nominated it to the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2023, the LA Times ranked it fourth out of 600 historic places to visit in LA County.

In 2022, as part of its Community Excellence Grants program, the PCC Foundation awarded Eloy $42,000, the initial funds for the PCC Preservation Guild, an organization that will create mentorship opportunities in preservation projects, historical recording, and archiving, along with an educational lecture series to expose students firsthand to the importance of understanding and preserving historical legacies.

From left to right: Eric Chan San Gabriel City Councilperson, PCC Trustee Tammy Silver, San Gabriel Mayor John Harrington, Assemblymember Mike Fong, San Gabriel Councilmember Tony Ding, Eloy Zarate and Friend of La Laguna board member Dr. Senya Lubisich. This was the launch of the guild. All Foundation funding was matched by Fong and Friends of La Laguna.

“It has been an incredible journey,” says Eloy. “None of this would have been possible without the participation of the PCC community.”

And for Eloy, that is precisely what it’s all about: Community.

“We have a responsibility to our community,” he says passionately. “I grew up here; I went to PCC, which saved my life. Community focus is something I want us to get back to, and for me, it begins with La Laguna.”

Learn more about Friends of La Laguna by visiting https://www.friendsoflalaguna.com/.