In an unexpected move, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Ted Stevens was announced by the City of Torrance as their new “Community Services Director, effective December 15, 2025.”
There has been no official communication from the City of Culver City regarding his departure.
The press release, put out by the City of Torrance on November 20, 2025, offered that “Stevens’ appointment follows the announcement by current Community Services Director John La Rock of his upcoming retirement. La Rock will continue serving in his role until Stevens officially assumes the position.”
PRCS has had a great deal of attention from the community during Stevens tenure, many of them challenging.
Problems with maintaining staffing at the The Plunge culminated in laying off all the lifeguards, and a proposal for a corporate management company being brought in this past May. The community pushed back, and the outside management contract was never put into motion.
The lifeguards, who organized to get their positions back after being laid off, were rehired, and reorganization took some months. Setting things right is a work still in progress.
A detail on the city employment agreement at the Dec. 8, 2025 City Council meeting reclassified the position of Pool Manager to a regular “part-time with benefits,” and approved the Pool Manager’s salary “retroactive to Nov. 3, 2025.”
Stevens had previously been city administration in Long Beach, and his move to Torrance puts him back in a larger city with more recreation facilities.
Stevens responded to a request for comment, offering “It has been my honor and privilege to serve the City and community of Culver City these past 2 years. The PRCS Department has an amazing team here that has done so much the past [two] years. The Department developed an award-winning Parks Master Plan to guide the City through the coming decade and beyond. The team also created new programs, special events and even started a new youth sports league! There are so many park improvement projects in the works for the coming year and there is a lot for the community to be excited about.”
Editor’s note – this post has been update since it’s initial publication
Judith Martin-Straw
