The City of Long Beach’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (LBPRM) has been ranked within the Top 20 of park systems in the United States, according to the Trust for Public Land’s Center for City Park Excellence.
The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore is a comprehensive park rating system. The ratings are based equally on three factors: park access, park size/acreage, and services and investment.
A total of 10.3 percent of the City’s 33,895 acres is dedicated parkland, with a median park size of 3.2 acres. LBPRM has increased available park acreage in Long Beach by helping to revise the Open Space Element of the City General Plan in 2002 and setting a goal to increase park acreage in the City to 8 acres per thousand residents, and to locate parks within a ¼-mile of all residences. Since 2002, a total of 348 new acres of open space has been added including 314 acres of new parks and 34 acres added to existing parks. Most of this new open space, 310 acres, was added in west and central Long Beach, where there is a greater need for more park space. The City has successfully applied for and received $73.5 million in grants since 2003 for parks and open space.
Currently, about 35 percent of Long Beach’s population can access a park within a half-mile of their residence in a 10-minute walk. LBPRM conducts recreation programs on Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) campuses in underserved areas. PRM provides park athletic fields for school use and LBUSD provides gymnasiums for PRM use. PRM provides after school recreation programs at LBUSD sites in areas that lack sufficient park space.
LBPRM provides 1.5 playgrounds per 10,000 residents. In response to community input, specialty facilities have been added including five skate parks since 2006, four dog parks since 2009 and three community garden areas since 2006. A California Dept. of Boating and Waterways loan for up to $24 million is funding the rebuild of the 50-year old, 1,991-slip Alamitos Bay Marina. The 40-year old El Dorado Nature Center has undergone extensive renovations including stream restoration, trail bridge replacement, habitat restoration and trail reinforcement. The City’s historic Rancho Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos have both completed master plans for development, renovation projects and new construction. Rancho Los Alamitos will open new visitor center and restoration of its historic barns in June. Rancho Los Cerritos’ new visitor center and restored arroyo area opened on May 12.