📬 Brad Waller, District 1 Newsletter, April 20, 2026

Neighbors,

Four days of Springfest, a harbor cleanup, Earth Day at Hopkins Wilderness Park, a council vote Riviera Village has been waiting years for, and a brand new farmers market set to debut Wednesday in North Redondo. This was one of those weeks where a lot of neighbors showed up for a lot of different things at once, and the city felt it.

Below: how Catalina Avenue officially got its funding, a North Redondo market that opens this week, Fire Service Day coming up next month, and a quieter personal note I have been thinking about all weekend.

🏛️ City Council Recap

🔹 Riviera Village's $4 million walkability investment is officially approved. On Tuesday night, Council green-lit the funding agreement with LA Metro for design, environmental review, and engineering along Catalina Avenue. That unlocks real work on wider sidewalks, better bike facilities, traffic calming, improved drainage, and a serious look at parking.

→ 💡 What happens next: This is the start of a community-driven design process, not a finished plan. Concepts come back to Council in 2027 before any final decisions get made, which gives residents and Riviera Village businesses real time to help shape what this looks like on the ground.

→ 🎯 My take: I campaigned on fixing Riviera Village walkability, and this was the vote that turned that campaign priority into a funded project. I will stay close to every decision that follows, and I will keep pushing to make sure the final design serves the people who actually live, work, and shop in the Village.

🏛️ City Council, Tuesday, April 21

🔹 Fulton Playfield project moves toward construction. Council will consider approving plans and putting out to bid a $6.6 million project to upgrade the Fulton Playfield basin so it can capture, filter, and infiltrate stormwater before it reaches the ocean. The project also adds rain gardens and maintains the site’s flood control function.

→ 💡 What this means: This is a water quality project required under regional stormwater regulations, but it also brings local benefits. It helps reduce pollution flowing into Santa Monica Bay and improves how the City manages runoff from a large surrounding area, all while keeping the playfield functional. Construction is expected to start later this year and take about four months.

→ 🎯 My take: This is one of those projects that isn’t flashy but is critically important. It’s fully grant-funded, improves environmental outcomes, and leverages regional dollars to upgrade local infrastructure. These are exactly the kinds of projects we should be prioritizing.

🔹 Seaside Lagoon redesign moves into decision phase. Council will review updated plans for the Seaside Lagoon and consider moving forward with a scaled Phase 1 rebuild focused on a new lagoon, core infrastructure, and essential amenities. The current estimate is about $9.5 million, with additional funding still needed.

→ 💡 What this means: The original concept had to be scaled back due to cost, site constraints, and regulatory requirements. This Phase 1 approach keeps the Lagoon operational and modernized, while leaving room to add features later if funding becomes available. Timing is tight, with a goal of reopening ahead of major 2028 events.

→ 🎯 My take: The Lagoon is a signature asset, but we have to balance vision with financial reality. Moving forward with a phased approach makes sense to preserve the facility and avoid escalating maintenance issues, while still giving us flexibility to improve it over time as funding allows.  

 👉 View the City Council calendar on Legistar

🚨 Public Safety

🔹 Fire Service Day is coming up on Saturday, May 9. The Redondo Beach Fire Department is opening both fire stations to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Station 1 sits at 401 South Broadway and Station 2 at 2400 Grant Avenue. Expect live equipment demonstrations, paramedic and extrication gear on display, and a chance to meet the crews who answer the calls for this city every single day.

→ ⚡ Why this matters: Fire Service Day is one of the most direct ways kids and families get to see what our firefighters actually do, and one of the best opportunities our firefighters have to get to know the neighborhoods they serve. I want residents to experience this side of the department up close. That two-way visit is how trust gets built, and trust is part of what makes emergency response work.
👉 Visit the Redondo Beach Fire Department

💼 Economic Development and Local Business

🔹 A brand new farmers' market opens this Wednesday in North Redondo. The North Redondo Beach Farmers Market debuts on Wednesday, April 22, on Green Lane between Artesia Boulevard and Vanderbilt Street, right next to the North Branch Library. Hours are 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. every Wednesday. Fresh food, local vendors, and one more reason for neighbors to run into each other in the middle of the week.

→ 🎯 My take: North Redondo has needed its own weekly market for a long time, and Green Lane next to the library is the right spot for it. This is exactly the kind of grassroots activity that can make a difference in a community, and it is built to give back: revenue from the market goes into projects for the Artesia and Aviation corridors.
👉 Visit the NRB Farmers Market

🔹 Springfest's 44th year is in the books. Four days of free admission, rides, live music, food trucks, the student entrepreneur showcase, and the BeachLife Battle of the Bands brought a big crowd to the Performing Arts Center from Thursday through Sunday. Opening night kicked off with the Chamber Mixer, and the energy that set the tone for the rest of the weekend was everything a 44-year tradition should feel like. An enormous thank you to NRBBA, the volunteers, the vendors, and every neighbor who made this happen.

→ 💼 One more thing: A handful of Redondo Beach restaurants, including Alhamra Kabob Grill, Gomaichi Ramen, Cookie Zombie, Japonica Sushi, Lozio Osteria, Mickey's Deli, Mychal's Bakery, and Tommy & Atticus, donated more than $300 in gift cards for the Springfest Info Booth raffle. Winners get notified today. That is the local business community doing what it does best.

🌿 Environment and Coastal Care

🔹 Earth Day at Hopkins Wilderness Park filled the park on Saturday. The South Bay Parkland Conservancy's celebration pulled together activity booths, a guided nature walk, an educational seminar, live music, and dozens of environmental groups and community organizations set up throughout the park. Hopkins is one of the most special places in this city, and a Saturday like that one is exactly what it was built for.

→ 🙏 A real thank you: My thanks go to the South Bay Parkland Conservancy, and to every volunteer, exhibitor, and neighbor who spent their Saturday in the park. Protecting that space is an ongoing job, and it only works because people keep showing up for it.

🔹 King Harbor and Pier Cleanup Day wrapped on Sunday. Another strong turnout from volunteers who gave a morning to the waterfront. This kind of hands-on effort is one of the clearest ways we keep our harbor and pier in the shape they deserve, and it is a good reminder that stewardship of this coastline is a shared job we all own.

🕯️ A Personal Note

🔹 A conversation worth carrying forward. This past week, during Yom HaShoah, my father had the chance to describe, in his own words, what it was like to live through Kristallnacht and the Holocaust as a boy in Germany. He talked about watching his own father be taken away, the destruction of their home, and the quiet courage of the people who helped his family survive. That is a hard story to hear from someone you love. It is also a story that has to keep being told.

→ 💙 What stays with me: When my father says "never again," he does not mean it only for his own community. He means it for everyone. That framing is the whole point. As a first-generation American and as a councilmember in a city that is home to people of every background, I carry that with me into this job.
👉 Watch my father share his story

🔹 A quick note from Colorado. Last weekend, I was in Denver watching my daughter own the stage as Daisy in Side Show. Walking the grounds at the Colorado State Capitol afterward was a good reminder that the work that happens in buildings like that one, and like ours, actually matters. The reason we do it is the people waiting for us when we get home.

📅 Coming Up

🔹 Woman's Club of Redondo Beach 16th Annual Spaghetti Dinner, Saturday, April 25, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Spaghetti, silent auction, bake sale, and proceeds that head straight back into local charities. The Woman's Club has been serving this community since 1908, and events like this are a big part of why.
👉 Get Spaghetti Dinner details

🥕 Weekly Markets

Farmers' Market by the Pier (Veterans Park), Thursdays, 8am to 1pm. 309 Esplanade.
👉 Read more

Riviera Village Farmers Market, Sundays, 8:30am to 1pm. Triangle Lot, 1801 S. Elena Ave.
👉 Read more

North Redondo Beach Farmers Market, Wednesdays, 2pm to 7pm. Green Lane at Artesia.
👉 Read more

📱 Access Redondo

Do you have a problem or need to report an issue to the city? Use the Access Redondo App.
👉 Download App

🏖️ Redondo Roundup

Catalina Avenue engineering is officially funded. North Redondo's first weekly farmers market debuts this Wednesday. Springfest, Earth Day, and the harbor cleanup all wrapped up in the same few days, and Fire Service Day is already on the calendar for next month. A lot happened this week. Most of it happened because neighbors decided to make it happen.

If anything in here sparked a question or something you want to share, hit reply. I read every message.

"I believe progress isn't one headline — it's how we treat each other at games, how we welcome visitors to our beach, and how we keep showing up for small, unglamorous work. Thanks for doing that work with me. 🤝"

Brad Waller
City Council Member, Redondo Beach
brad.waller@redondo.org