City Manager's Report November 2024

Ichikawa Japan's 90th Anniversary

The City of Gardena attended their Sister City, Ichikawa, Japan's 90th Anniversary Celebration.

City staff and members of Council traveled to Ichikawa, Japan to help celebrate the milestone Anniversary.

The City of Gardena was honored to be invited and share in this momentous occasion.

55th Annual Veterans Day Service

Members of the community, Council, and Veterans from near and far all came together to celebrate Veterans Day on November 11, 2024.

Operation Gobble

The City of Gardena teamed up with the Carson-Gardena-Dominguez Rotary, Superior Grocers, and several other organizations, including the Gardena Police Department, for “Operation Gobble.”

Together, we were able to assemble 600 boxes of holiday food donations that will go to families in the Gardena and Carson areas!

Thanksgiving Celebration

The Gardena Valley Lion's Club, El Pollo Inka, and the City of Gardena all helped to provide free Thanksgiving meals to those in need.

Dia De Los Muertos

The City hosted its first ever Dia De Los Muertos event.

The Day of the Dead, or “Día de los Muertos” in Spanish, is a vibrant and festive holiday celebrated in Mexico and other parts of Latin America.

Complete with an ofrenda, the event provided a place to properly celebrate the occasion.

While the holiday honors deceased loved ones, it’s also a time of joy, laughter, and celebration of life.

Casino Night

The City's Casino Night benefiting the Senior Bureau, was a smashing success.

Transportation

Line 7X

Line 7X kicked off the month strong, shuttling football fans to SoFi Stadium for three thrilling Sunday matchups: Chargers vs. Titans, Chargers vs. Bengals, and Rams vs. Eagles.

Whether you're tailgating or heading to the stadium, the Green Team has you covered every Game Day Sunday—getting you there safely, reliably, and stress-free!

CHP Inspection

GTrans proudly passed its CHP inspection, reaffirming their commitment to safety and operational excellence.

The GTrans team continues to ensure high standards of safety and performance.

Police Department

Remembering Fallen Gardena Police Officer, Toshio Hirai

It’s been six years since we lost Officer Toshio Hirai. It feels like yesterday. Toshio‘s robust personality and commitment to the City of Gardena made such an impact on all of us.

He was selfless, intelligent, and a good friend. His legacy lives on, and we make it a point to keep his stories and his spirit alive within all of us. We miss you, Tosh. Continue to rest in paradise, dear friend.

Coffee with the CAP

Captain Osorio’s last Coffee with a Cop was our biggest one yet! The conversations were great, as always. We are very thankful to have such great support from the Gardena community and beyond!

Many thanks to our sponsors, Aunties Cafe, Chick-fil-A Crenshaw and Redondo Beach Blvd, El Pollo Inka Gardena, and Restoration Church Gardena!

Also, thanks to Hawthorne Police, El Segundo Police, Manhattan Beach Police, and Redondo Beach, for stopping by!

Promotion of Lieutenant Luis Contreras

LT. Contreras has over two decades of police experience and is always one of the hardest workers in the room.

LT Contreras has been an asset to our investigative teams and will continue to serve in that area.

Records Appreciation Week!

The Gardena Police Department thanks our dedicated records technicians and staff whose hard work and attention to detail help us with our daily operations. We thank them for all the assistance they provide for our community. We are incredibly grateful for everything they do. Thank you GPD Records Bureau!

Meet the newest Addition to the family, K9 Ghost.

You can see Ghost at various community events, including District Policing meetings, National Night Out, the Gardena Jazz Festival, and Pancake Breakfast. Please say hello to Ghost when you spot him!

He is a trained explosives and firearms detection canine, having recently graduated from the K9 training academy. With the growing need for enhanced security at public events, Ghost will significantly strengthen the Gardena Police Department's capabilities.

Gardena PD presented Mr. Suzuki with a GPD woven blanket in celebration of his 99th birthday!

Public Works

Christmas Tree Installation

Public Works installed the giant Christmas tree on the City Hall Lawn.

Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian Safety Improvement continues to be an important priority in order to keep our residents and community safe.

Gardena Aquatics & Senior Center Project

Underground Utility and Building Foundation Work