Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

Department overview
Formed	July 1, 1903; 121 years ago (1903-07-01)
Preceding agencies	Forester and Fire Warden's Office Department of Recreation, Camps and Playgrounds
Jurisdiction	Los Angeles County
Headquarters	433 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90020 34°03′59″N 118°17′31″W
Employees	1,477 (2010)[1]
Annual budget	US$149,369,000 (2010)[1]
Department executive	Norma Edith García-Gonzalez, Director
Website	parks.lacounty.gov

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is an agency of the County of Los Angeles which oversees its parks and recreational facilities. It was created in 1944.^[2] It operates and maintains over 71,249 acres (28,833 ha) of parks, gardens, lakes, natural gardens, and golfing greens, and 200 miles (320 km) of trails.^[2]

It maintains 183 parks and operates the world’s largest municipal golf course system with 20 courses. It also owns the Hollywood Bowl and the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre.^[3]

Weddings can be held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge, South Coast Botanic Garden on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and Magic Johnson Park in Willowbrook.^[4] Virginia Robinson Gardens is open for tours.

Los Angeles County nature centers

Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation operates nature centers at:^[4]

• Deane Dana Friendship Park and Nature Center
• Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area
• Eaton Canyon Park & Nature Center
• Placerita Canyon Nature Center
• San Dimas Canyon Nature Center
• Santa Catalina Island Interpretive Center
• Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
• Stoneview Nature Center, Baldwin Hills
• Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park
• Whittier Narrows Nature Center

Los Angeles County fishing lakes

It has fishing lakes at:^[4]

• Alondra Community Regional Park
• Apollo Community Regional Park
• Belvedere Community Regional Park
• Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park
• Castaic Lake State Recreation Area
• Cerritos Community Regional Park
• Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
• Earvin "Magic" Johnson Park
• La Mirada Community Regional Park
• Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
• Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

The Department hosts approximately 300 film projects a year, including feature films, television series, television commercials, and still photography shoots for various magazines and publications.^[5]

Safety and law enforcement services are provided on a contract basis from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Parks Bureau. Prior to 2010, the Los Angeles County Office of Public Safety (County Police) and its predecessor agencies were responsible for law enforcement in the county parks.

Management and Commission

Since 2020, the director is Norma Edith García-Gonzalez.^[2] The department is governed by a five member commission, appointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.^[6]

References

1. "Assessor" (PDF). County of Los Angeles Annual Report 2009-2010. Public Affairs, Chief Executive Office. p. 23. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
2. "Director's Message". LA County Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
3. "Media Information". LA County Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
4. "Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation Website". Archived from the original on 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
5. "Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation - Filming and Photography". Archived from the original on 2014-10-14. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
6. "Parks Commission". LA County Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 9 February 2021.

External links

• Official website