Elysian Valley Recreation Center
Community recreation center offering various programs, including a CIT program, for local youth.
▌ Editor's read The Elysian Valley CIT Program is a free Counselor-in-Training program for teens aged 13-17, operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The program focuses on developing leadership skills, job readiness, and community service. The website, recreation.parks.lacity.gov/reccenter/elysian-valley, loads successfully and provides details on the program, including age requirements and contact information. There is no mention of ACA accreditation or specific state licensing for this municipal program. The program is clearly a day camp format. Google reviews for the Elysian Valley Recreation Center show a rating of 4.5 stars from 102 reviews, with many positive comments about the staff and facilities. The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has a Facebook page, 'LA-City-Recreation-and-Parks', which is linked from the main parks website, but no specific social media for the Elysian Valley center or CIT program was found. The program's free nature is a significant strength, promoting accessibility for local youth.
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Parks-department programPublic, often subsidized
Who thrives here Ages 13–15
Elysian Valley Recreation Center serves high-school campers, which means the program is competing against summer jobs, college visits, internships, and residential overnight options. The case for a day camp at this age is usually a CIT (counselor-in-training) track, deep specialization in community/rec center, or a portfolio item parents and kids both value. Programs that don't articulate one of those three usually lose this age band by 9th grade.
Facts & Credentials
- Program type
- Day camp
- ACA accredited
- Not verified
- Established
- Not listed
- Operator
- Municipal parks department
- Staff-to-camper ratio
- Not listed
Details
- Category: Community/Rec Center
- Ages: 13–15
- Hours: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
- Address: 1811 Ripple St, Los Angeles, CA 90039
- Phone: (323) 666-1717
- Email: [email protected]
- Cost notes: Free. No Wednesdays. 5 spots available. Tri-Fosters program by day.
Logistics
- Lunch provided: No
- Transportation: No
- Financial aid: No
- Setting: mixed
Frequently asked about Elysian Valley Recreation Center
- What ages does Elysian Valley Recreation Center accept?
- Elysian Valley Recreation Center is open to children ages 13–15. Camps publish their own age cutoffs, and some run mixed-age groups internally; check the registration page for that summer's grouping if your child sits at a boundary.
- How much does Elysian Valley Recreation Center cost?
- Elysian Valley Recreation Center doesn't publish a flat per-week rate — pricing varies by session. Free. No Wednesdays. 5 spots available. Tri-Fosters program by day. Contact the camp directly for the current schedule of fees.
- What are Elysian Valley Recreation Center's hours?
- Elysian Valley Recreation Center runs 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM. If those hours don't quite cover your work day, check whether extended care or early drop-off is offered separately.
- Who runs Elysian Valley Recreation Center?
- Elysian Valley Recreation Center is operated by the local parks department. The operator type matters for tuition policy (refunds, financial aid eligibility) and for what kind of staff training pipeline the camp uses.
- Does Elysian Valley Recreation Center provide lunch?
- Elysian Valley Recreation Center does not include lunch — campers bring their own. Most day camps without provided lunch are nut-free or nut-aware, so check the allergy policy before packing. Frozen water bottles double as ice packs and drinks; insulated lunch boxes hold below 40°F for about four hours.
- How does Elysian Valley Recreation Center compare to other community/rec center camps in Los Angeles?
- Elysian Valley Recreation Center is one of 92 community/rec center camps in Los Angeles that overlap its age range. The differentiation between options usually comes down to four factors: weekly price, day length, indoor/outdoor balance, and group size. Browse same-city alternatives in the directory to compare side by side.
Planning guides
Editorial checklists to use before you compare Elysian Valley Recreation Center with other camps.
- How to choose a summer camp · Use the decision checklist before you compare finalists.
- Summer camp pricing in 2026 · Benchmark weekly cost before you commit a deposit.
- Summer camp safety and accreditation · Review licensing, supervision, and accreditation signals.
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