SANTA MONICA—The city of Santa Monica will host the community, Parks Day, Come Play! on Saturday, February 25.
The event will celebrate the grand opening of Ishihara Park, the dedication of Gandara Park, and new park improvements, according to a press release sent to Canyon News.
Ishihara Park is a brand new 2.35-acre neighborhood park, developed to provide a buffer between the Exposition Light Rail Maintenance Facility and the adjacent neighborhood, and is named after World War II vet George Ishihara. Ishihara was also a longtime resident of the Santa Monica Pico Neighborhood.
The dedication of Stewart Street Park to Gandara Park is to honor World War II hero and former Pico Neighborhood resident, Private Joe Gandara.
The event will celebrate the re-opening of the northeastern part of Reed Park, as well as the completion of a contemporary stormwater harvesting and reuse project at Los Amigos Park.
The celebration will start with a grand opening ceremony at Ishihara Park at 10 a.m. accompanied by Mayor Ted Winterer, the Santa Monica City Council, Assemblymember Richard Bloom, the Ishihara family, landscape architect Mia Lehrer, and others. After the ceremony, people will be able to play, discover, exercise, and enjoy various activities and entertainment until 1 p.m. at all four park locations.
“Parks are Santa Monica’s playground and a place where we exercise, gather with friends, and watch our kids’ happiest moments,” said Mayor Winterer. “This is the day to celebrate with a new park opening and two park dedications in honor of Santa Monica heroes.”
Mayor Winterer, along with City Manager Rick Cole, and Santa Monica Spoke will hold the second “Ride with the Mayor” group bike ride, which will begin at 11:30 a.m. from Gandara Park to Los Amigos Park. The community is encouraged to explore the unique features of each park by walking, biking, or riding the Big Blue Bus to the event.
The celebration is a collaborative endeavor that will bring neighborhood groups, non-profit organizations, local businesses, and community resources together, to offer important information on a broad spectrum of supportive services and programs available to the public.
Parks Day, Come Play! will show Santa Monica’s commitment to bettering lives through cultural and recreational programming, as well as increasing the enjoyment of parks for all residents.
The event is free and open to all ages. For disability-related commission inquiries contact (310) 458-8310 at least one week before the event. Bike racks will be available at all four park locations, and a free bike valet will be available at Ishihara Park.
For more information, visit www.santamonicaparks.org.
