Long Beach is celebrating “Parks Make Life Better” month throughout July.
The statewide recognition, led by the California Parks and Recreation Society, recognizes the essential role parks and recreation play in fostering healthy, connected and thriving communities, and showcases how recreation agencies create community through people, parks and programs, according to a press release.
In Long Beach, the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department cares, stewards and creates programming for hundreds of parks, open spaces and recreation facilities that enrich the physical, mental and social wellness of residents.
“Parks and recreation are at the heart of a thriving community,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “This month, we celebrate the dedicated professionals who make these spaces welcoming and accessible, and we honor the vital role our Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine play in helping our community live healthier, happier and more connected lives.”
That department maintains 166 parks, 81 playgrounds, nine skate parks, five golf courses, three community pools, 69 tennis courts, 24 pickleball courts, and nearly 300 acres of nature preserves and wetlands. It also offers more than 2,800 recreation classes and programs each year.
Taken together, the swaths of open spaces and PRM programs ensures people of all ages and interests have opportunities to play, learn and enjoy the outdoors, the press release said.
The department also maintains the quality and health of seven beaches and more than six miles of shoreline, and operates the largest municipally run marina system in the country, which includes more than 3,350 boat slips and three marinas, the press release said. PRM also includes Long Beach Animal Care Services.
PRM is guided by its Strategic Plan, which the City Council adopted in 2022. The plan guides operational, staffing and budget decisions for a 10-year period, from 2022 to 2032, and serves as a tool to adapt park services as the community’s needs evolve.
“As a department, we see every day how parks and recreation uplift our community,” Stephen Scott, director of PRM, said in a statement. “By providing safe places for residents to be active, opportunities to connect with neighbors, and moments of peace in nature, our Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine enriches the physical, mental and social well-being of our community. This month, and every day, we celebrate the power of these shared spaces and the dedicated staff who bring them to life.”
The mayor and City Council will recognize July as “Parks Make Life Better” month during the Tuesday, July 21, meeting. Community members are encouraged to attend the meeting, which will begin at 5 p.m. in the Civic Chambers.
In honor of “Parks Make Life Better” month, the department also encourages residents to participate in summer events, activities, recreation classes and more throughout July.
A list of summer events — such as movies in the park, Long Beach Municipal Band performances and activities at El Dorado Nature Center — is available at lbcity.info/lbsummer. Residents can also visit their neighborhood park, beach, nature trail or other open space throughout the month or take one of more than 700 summer recreation classes being offered.
A full lineup of parks, facilities, programs and services available for the Long Beach community is available at LBParks.org.