The El Cariso Community Regional Park was named for the El Cariso Hot Shots, a firefighting crew that lost ten members while fighting the Loop Fire of 1966. The 79-acre park, located in Sylmar, includes a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, picnic tables, playground, sports and baseball fields.

In 2008, the pool and pool house were renovated, including replacement of 1,000 linear feet of chain link fencing surrounding the pool. In partnership with Pedersen, Beckhart, Wesley, and Stice Architects (PBWS), artist Rod Baer developed a custom fence design (see above). The “wave” is painted with two shades of blue.

“Balancing playfulness with graceful form, the wave pattern forms an immediate and understandable symbol for water. By sculpting painted waves on the top edge of the fence, the aquatic center can be seen from all over the park, instantly marking its identity and location to visitors.” – Rod Baer

About the Artist: Rod Baer, who lives in Los Angeles, received an MFA from Claremont Graduate School and a BFA from San Diego State University. He has completed public and private commissions in California and the United States and has extensive design team experience. His work is characterized by bold geometric shapes and colors that are often rendered in three dimensions.

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