Ninth District Parks
DeForest Park
DeForest Park is the first neighborhood in all of Long Beach to form its own neighborhood association. There is an actual 24-acre park here runnin alongside the LA Riverbed with a club house, restrooms, badeball diamonds, basketball, tennis and racquetball courts, sand volleyball court, horse trails, a nature trail, and a bike path that can take you straight to the Aquarium of the Pacific or Downtown LA without een crossing a street. The bike path goes directly along the river under all street crossings.
DeForest Park is tucked away near the quaint, and the soon-to-be redeveloped "North Village" of Long Beach with easy access to Metro Blue line, the 710 and the 91 Freeways. It's only 20 miles from downtown LA and only 7 miles from the Pacific Ocean! The homes were built in 1945 and many have since been remodeled and enlarged. This is a safe and quiet neighborhood unknown to many residents of our fine city. This is truly a hidden treasure in Long Beach.
History
The City owned portion of the park is 15 acres and was improved in 1976 from land acquired as excess property from the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. The park is improved with a small meeting room and staff office, four lighted tennis courts, a handball/racquetball court structure, two playgrounds, two baseball diamonds and two restrooms
. The remaining 34.91 acres is used as the DeForest Nature trail, which the City uses through a Los Angeles County Flood Control District permit. This is a County detention basis, used to hold floodwaters until the Los Angeles River can accommodate the additional flows. The use permit to use the area was the result of a vigorous grass root community campaign to create the nature area. A trail was created through the basin and donated plants installed by volunteer labor.
By 2000, the area was overgrown with non-native plants and dry weather runoff from the storm drain system had created trash and vector control problem. A feasibility study was undertaken to see if the basin could be restored as a natural wetland habitat while retaining its flood control function. When the restoration was found feasible in 2004, plans were developed and an Environmental Impact Report certified in 2006. The City has partial funding for the restoration from the Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Act of 1996, and is seeking remaining funding to undertake the restoration.
Amenities
- Basketball Court
- Community Center
- Nature Trail
- Restrooms
- Softball Field
- Tennis Court
- Sand Volleyball Court
- Youth Recreation
- Adult Classes
- Playground
- Racquetball Court
Houghton Park
Three acres of land for Houghton Park was donated on July 30, 1924 by Stanley W., Dove C., and Elizabeth P. Houghton, in memory of their father Col. Sherman Otis Houghton and his wife Eliza Donner Houghton, the orphaned daughter of the fateful Donner party that died in the show pack at Donner Lake in 1846.
Col. Sherman Otis Houghton bought the 78-acre ranch in North Long Beach in 1896 that included the present Houghton Park and lived there from 1898 until his death in 1914. He was the first representative from Southern California in the U.S. Congress from 1871 to 1875.
One more acre was donated by the real estate firm, Zimmerman and Dyer. The City of Long Beach then purchased 24.88 acres from the Houghton family on May 9, 1927.
Palm trees planted by Stanley Houghton remain. The park's community recreation center now stands where the barn stood. There is no record for the construction of the original section of the community recreation center, called a clubhouse at that time. It included an auditorium style area with a stage and an adjoining kitchen. The evidence provided by the architectural style indicates that it was constructed in the 1930's.
On June 25, 1947, the Park Commission approved the location of a canteen building in the northeast corner of the park. An old building was moved in and served until the park was redeveloped from 1959 to 1961. The clubhouse was expanded to include a canteen to serve the recreational interests of the boys and girls attending Jordan High School and the freestanding building removed. In 1973 a Neighborhood Facilities Center was built with federal grants and houses programs of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Council Field office.
In 1987, the community recreation center was again expanded to add a senior citizen's center. This addition included three multi-purpose rooms and a reading room. The park includes three baseball diamonds, a soccer field overlay on the baseball diamonds and a separate soccer field, a playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a skate park built in 2004. Renovation of the baseball fields, playground, and sports field lights occurred with funding from the Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Acts of 1992 and 1996.
Hours:
Monday- Friday: 9am - 7pm
Saturday: 12 - 4pm
Sunday: Closed
Call 570-3111 for picnic, softball and building reservations.
Coolidge Park
This park is located south of Artesia Street and west of the Long Beach Freeway. On January 25, 1955, a development plan was approved by the City Council. Facilities include a lighted baseball diamond, game courts, spray pool, picnic facilities and a staff office. The baseball field fencing and lighting, and the playground were redeveloped in the late 1990's with funding from the Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Acts of 1992 and 1996. Approximately one acre of the original parcel purchased was taken by the State of California to construct the Long Beach (710) Freeway.
Hours:
Monday - Friday: 12 - 6pm
Saturday: 12 - 4pm
Amenities
- Basketball Court
- Softball Field
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Picnic Area
- Community Center
- Youth Recreation Program
Ramona Park
On May 22, 1951, the City Council authorized the purchase of this land from Certified Markets, Inc. The park includes a baseball diamond, a soccer field, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a volleyball court/roller hockey rink, playground and community center, which was completed in 1995 with Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Act of 1992 funds and state Parks Bond Act of 1988 funds, and Park Impact Fees. Playground and field lighting renovation were competed in 1997 with Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Act of 1992 funds
3301 E. 65th St. (562) 570-1665 (7.2 acres)
Hours:
Monday - Friday: 12 - 6pm
Saturday: 12 - 4pm
Amenities
- Baseball Field
- Basketball Court
- Community Center
- Picnic Area
- Soccer Field
- Softball Fields
- Tennis Courts
- Volleyball Courts
- Youth Recreation & Teen Programs
- Restrooms
- Playground
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