Benelli Park closed after high-voltage system failure; county estimates $1.2 million repair, hopes for July 4 reopening

As of May 5, 2025, Benelli Park has been closed to the public after a critical failure of the park’s high-voltage electrical system, Los Angeles County Parks officials told the San Dimas City Council on June 10. "The high voltage system replacement project will cost about $1.2 million," Regional Park Superintendent Dave Campbell said, adding that the county has identified funding and contractors have begun work.

County staff described widespread impacts from the outage: domestic water distribution, sewer lift stations, restroom facilities and security lighting are nonfunctional, and held that for health and safety reasons the entire park must remain closed until systems are restored. Limited generator power has restored service to some facilities, including the RV park headquarters and the sheriff’s substation, Campbell said.

Campbell and Deputy Director Kevin Reagan said the replacement requires demolition and full electrical reinstallation, including plans that must be approved by Southern California Edison. "We're hoping to be open by July 4, but it may not be possible," Campbell added, calling the date a working target rather than a firm guarantee.

County staff also told the council that the failure was aggravated by theft of copper wiring from the park’s electrical vaults; the sheriff’s follow-up investigation recovered some material and the county described the theft as causing roughly $150,000 in damage and additional delay. The county said it is increasing patrols while repair work is underway.

Council members asked whether annual-pass holders would receive refunds while Benelli Park is closed and county staff replied that the department will not issue refunds or prorated refunds for annual passes related to the closure or the planned Monday–Tuesday regional-park closures beginning July 1. The county said the language of existing annual-pass provisions and the passes’ discounted pricing relative to daily fees underlie that decision.

Campbell said the county is coordinating daily maintenance and lifeguard coverage where possible and posting status updates on county and park websites and social media. He also warned that Los Angeles County Parks faces substantial budget reductions next fiscal year—his presentation cited an estimated $22 million reduction across the department—which will affect operations and may reduce regional-park service days and change fee structures.

Next steps: county staff will continue the electrical replacement work, keep the council and public apprised of progress and confirm reopening timelines as contractor milestones and Edison approvals are completed.