12:42pm | 4th District Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine are inviting residents to the grand re-opening celebration of Orizaba Park on Saturday, January 21 at 12:00pm. Following several months of renovation, Orizaba Park has additional amenities and 1.1 acres of new parkspace, for a total of 3.7 acres.
“We added more space and features to an already great park,” Mayor Bob Foster said. “The improvements include covered picnic areas, walking trails, basketball courts, playing fields, fitness stations and a skateboard plaza.”
The Long Beach Redevelopment Agency funded $5.3 million for the expansion and renovation of the park. New safety lighting, decorative fencing, public art and native plants provide the finishing touches to the expanded Orizaba Park.
“This is a truly happy day, because Orizaba Park is a key part of the fabric of life for this neighborhood, ” said Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell. “The Orizaba Park community is one of the strongest in our city, and I am proud to have participated in this effort with them.”
The celebration will feature the unveiling of an art piece titled “The Train Has Left the Station,” which was designed and fabricated by local artist Patrick Vogel. The 12-foot by 10-foot stainless steel replica of the Red Car that historically ran from Long Beach to Los Angeles will be located on the former Pacific Electric Right-of-Way that bisects the Park, and memorializes the importance of trains in the City’s development.
Design is also under way for a new community center at the park, for which the City received a $2.2 million grant from the State of California Natural Resources Agency.