The community center at Drake Park in downtown Long Beach has received much-needed upgrades — and the city is ready to celebrate with the community.
Long Beach’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, in partnership with the Department of Public Works, will host an event from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the facility to celebrate the significant interior and exterior infrastructure upgrades made to modernize and improve the functionality, accessibility, comfort and usability of the Drake Park Community Center, 951 Maine Ave.
The event will feature remarks by city leaders followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, refreshments and activities for the community to enjoy, according to a press release.
“Drake Park has always been a gathering place where neighbors connect, people recreate and history lives,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming the community back to the Drake Park Community Center and into a revitalized space that reflects our commitment to investing in our parks and shared public spaces.”
Long Beach will be hosting a community event to celebrate the renovations at the Drake Park Community Center in downtown on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
Long Beach will be hosting a community event to celebrate the renovations at the Drake Park Community Center in downtown on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
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Long Beach will be hosting a community event to celebrate the renovations at the Drake Park Community Center in downtown on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
As part of Long Beach’s Elevate ‘28 Infrastructure Investment Plan projects, renovations to the community center included a new roof, new interior lighting, improved HVAC systems to enhance building performance and visitor comfort, a remodeled kitchen, remodeled interior and exterior restrooms, a new gender-neutral restroom, and new furniture and office area to support programming, creating a more welcoming space, the press release said.
Phased construction began in fall 2023 and was completed this summer, officials said.
“Drake Park has long been a treasured gathering place where generations of families come together to play, connect and build community,” First District Councilmember Mary Zendejas said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud to reopen the Drake Park Community Center and welcome our community back to this special space.
“I am especially excited for the children in the Willmore Neighborhood and surrounding communities who will have a safe and welcoming place to play, learn, grow and create lasting memories,” Zendejas added. “I look forward to seeing this community center once again filled with laughter, opportunity and the joy of families coming together.”
The community center has long been a hub for the Willmore Neighborhood, serving as a focal point for community gatherings and city programming and events. The facility has regularly been used for many of Parks, Recreation and Marine’s free youth programming, including the afterschool, youth sports and summer food service programs, as well as recreation contract classes and community events like Movies in the Park during the summer.
The Drake Park Community Center Improvement project used $2.95 million of Measure A infrastructure funds, including Measure A bonds, and $1 million of Assembly Bill 32 funds, which are designed for energy-efficient improvements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the press release said.
Guided by the Parks Make Long Beach Strategic Plan, the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department has focused on improvements that expand access in park-deficient areas, create safe and inclusive spaces, and support environmental sustainability, officials said.
“The Drake Park Community Center has always been a highly used community space, and we are proud to reopen it with improvements so that it can continue to thrive as a welcoming and well-loved resource for even more generations of Long Beach residents,” Stephen Scott, director of the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, said in a statement. “We’re excited to see this renewed facility continue to bring people together and strengthen the community it has served so well for many years.”