Santa Ana's top news & views blog

New Santa Ana

Call us if you have a question

Category Archives: Parks and Recreation

The Santa Ana Winter Village is starting on Dec. 8

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana will host the city’s first public ice-skating rink during a month-long family-friendly holiday event with live entertainment, shopping, food trucks and more.

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Residents and visitors in California’s famously sunny and warm Orange County will soon find themselves in the middle of a winter wonderland – all thanks to a month-long event presented by the City of Santa Ana.

Starting December 8, the City of Santa Ana will host the first Santa Ana Winter Village, a celebration of holiday fun in the heart of Orange County’s downtown. Located next to Santa Ana City Hall at the Civic Center Plaza, the event will offer a wide variety of activities and fun for guests of all ages through January 2, 2022.

Residents and visitors to Santa Ana will be able to rent ice skates and test their skills at a world-class outdoor ice-skating rink in the middle of Orange County. The Santa Ana Winter Village aims to offer a wide variety of activities for visitors of all ages, with live entertainment, holiday shopping and merchandise from specialty vendors and local community groups, cuisine from local food trucks, and much more.

A special focus of the Santa Ana Winter Village will be family-friendly activities that appeal to the whole family. Parents and kids can ride in a festive trackless train, read a story with Mrs. Claus, or enjoy a warm treat under the festive holiday lights. On select days of the month-long event, visitors may even have an opportunity to meet Santa Claus.

The community event is presented by the City of Santa Ana as part of the City’s Revive Santa Ana pandemic recovery initiative funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The Santa Ana Winter Village will bring residents and new visitors to downtown, where they can enjoy local shops and restaurants and support our business community.

The Santa Ana Winter Village will host a special Grand Opening event and official tree- lighting ceremony on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 9, which will be attended by Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento, Santa Ana City Councilmembers and other VIP guests.

“I invite all of our residents and neighbors to join us at the Winter Village, step out onto the ice and discover the many joys of downtown Santa Ana,” said Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento. “The Winter Village will provide a fun, healthy outdoor activity that our community greatly deserves after the past two years.”

As the signature attraction of Santa Ana Winter Village, an outdoor ice rink will allow attendees to enjoy a very atypical Southern California winter activity: outdoor ice-skating.

Guests aged 3 and up can ice-skate in 90-minute sessions, with both general skating admission and discounted Santa Ana resident rates available. Tickets can be purchased in advance to reserve a specific date and time. A limited number of tickets will also be available to walk-up guests each session. General admission for ice-skating is $12 for adults (13+) and $8 for kids (3- 12). Santa Ana residents are offered discounted admission prices on Mondays; $10 for adults and $5 for children. Visit https://santaanawintervillage.simpletix.com/ to purchase advance ice-skating tickets.

Admission to Santa Ana Winter Village is free of charge, with separate costs for specific activities, such as ice-skating, food trucks and merchandise vendors. Family activities such as story time with Mrs. Claus, meeting Santa Claus and live entertainment are available at no cost to attendees.

Throughout the four-week event period, the Santa Ana Winter Village will host several dedicated special events that bring in community partners and VIP appearances including the Anaheim Ducks Street Team and others. More info will be announced with details prior to these events.

For updated event information, advance ice-skating ticket sales, parking information and more, visit the Santa Ana Winter Village page at www.santa-ana.org/wintervillage.

The Santa Ana City Council approves a new Park at Raitt and Myrtle

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 1 Comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Santa Ana residents will be getting a new park at the corner of Raitt and Myrtle streets and new restrooms at three existing park locations.

The Santa Ana City Council recently approved funding and construction contracts to begin the projects, which are being funded in part by the City’s recreational cannabis tax revenue and the Revive Santa Ana pandemic recovery initiative.

“The Santa Ana City Council believes creating new parks and improving our existing ones should be a top priority for our community’s health and well-being,” Mayor Vicente Sarmiento said. “Our densely populated and heavily developed city offers too little green space for our residents, but we will change that for this and future generations of Santaneros.”

Raitt and Myrtle Park

The new, 1.18-acre park will be built on two City-owned parcels at the northeast corner of Raitt and Myrtle streets. It will feature a skate park, play equipment, exercise area, drought-tolerant landscaping, drinking water fountains, lighting, a public restroom, and other amenities.

The project includes a stormwater runoff basin and infiltration system designed to manage stormwater from the park and the surrounding neighborhood. Stormwater infiltration benefits the environment by improving water quality, increasing local water supplies and reducing flooding.

On Sept. 21, the City Council awarded a $2.7 million contract to EM Construction to build the new park, with a total estimated cost of $3.4 million. Funding for the project comes from the City’s cannabis public benefit funds and State park and water management grants.

The park is expected to be completed in 2023.

Park Restrooms

New restrooms will be built at Campesino Park, 3311 W. 5th St.; Memorial Park, 2102 S. Flower St.; and Madison Park, 1528 S. Standard. The City identified these three park restrooms because they are targets for vandalism and require major efforts to maintain due to their age and condition. This improvement project includes demolishing the existing restroom buildings, installing new pre-fabricated restroom buildings, and site improvements to provide an accessible path of travel to these facilities.

On Oct. 19, the City Council awarded a $1.4 million construction contract to Santa Ana-based iBuild Spectrum, Inc. to complete the project, which has a total cost of $1.7 million. Funding for the work comes from Community Development Block Grants and the federal American Rescue Plan Act through Revive Santa Ana.

The restrooms are expected to be completed in summer 2022.

El Concejo Municipal aprueba un nuevo parque y baños

El Concejo Municipal aprueba un nuevo parque y baños 

Công viên và phòng vệ sinh mới

Hội đồng thành phố phê duyệt công viên mới, phòng vệ sinh

O.C. Soccer Club Mini-Pitch groundbreaking event at Delhi Park set for Oct. 26

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Soccer, Sport, Sports, Youth Activities 3 Comments

IRVINE, CA – October 26th, 110am The Orange County Soccer Club, in partnership with The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, is holding a ground breaking ceremony on a new miniature outdoor hard-surface soccer court (mini-pitch) at Delhi Park, located at 2314 S Halladay St., in Santa Ana, on Tuesday October 26, 2021 at 10 a.m.

The Orange County SC plans to work with the U.S. Soccer Foundation and other partners to install several other mini-pitches to provide underserved communities in Orange County with a safe place to play soccer.

Orange County SC and the OCSC Foundation intend to provide regular clinics at the mini-pitches in order to encourage soccer play and fitness, as well as to identify local talent to provide them an opportunity to play for OCSC’s professional youth academy and even try out for its first team. In addition, Orange County SC plans to host youth tournaments at the mini-pitch multiple times each year.

For more information visit – https://www.orangecountysoccer.com/news_article/show/1187725

Free Boo at the Zoo Community Night Tickets now available

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Zoo, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Join the Santa Ana Zoo for special zoo hours on October 22, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., during Boo at the Zoo Community Night. Community night is only available to Santa Ana residents.

During the walk-through experience, visitors can follow a fun Halloween trail through the Zoo. Visitors will discover the “merry, not scary” decorations along the way, making this an activity the whole family can enjoy together, wearing family-friendly costumes and collecting goody bags for each child when leaving the Zoo. The Bean Sprouts “hip and healthy” café will be open and free train rides will be offered on the “Boo”fari Express Train.

Free tickets must be reserved in advance. Space is limited and proof of residency (driver’s license, utility bill) will be required upon arrival. Not valid to school or business addresses. To RSVP, please register here.

To purchase Boo at the Zoo admission tickets for additional dates, October 23, 24, 29, or 30, please visit: https://www.santaanazoo.org/boo.htm

For additional information, please call the Zoo at (714) 647-6575.

Newport and Dana Point Harbors and O.C. beaches in Laguna Beach all reopened now after the oil spill closure

Posted on by Posted in Beaches, Newport Beach, Orange County, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment

In cooperation with local judications, Unified Command has announced that the Captain of the Port has opened Newport Beach Harbor and Dana Point Harbor to all vessel traffic on 8th October 2021 at 3 p.m. PT. In addition, OC Parks is announcing the reopening of Bayside Beach, located in Newport Beach Harbor.

The sand at County-operated beaches in the City of Laguna Beach reopened at 9 a.m. today. These include Aliso Beach, Laguna Royale Beach, Table Rock Beach, Thousand Steps Beach and West Street Beach. The reopening is for the sand only, not the shoreline or the water.

The parking lot at Aliso Beach remains closed for staging for the cleanup efforts. The sand at City of Laguna Beach beaches also reopened at 7:00 a.m. today.

County-operated Salt Creek Beach, Strands Beach and Baby Beach located within Dana Point Harbor reopened October 7. Capistrano Beach and Poche Beach remain closed due to construction.

The City of Newport Beach’s beach advisory currently remains in place. Residents and visitors are advised to avoid contact with ocean water and oiled areas of the beach.

Huntington Beach ocean and shorelines (beginning at the lifeguard towers) between Warner Avenue and the Santa Ana River Jetty remain closed. Recreational fishing between Sunset Beach and Dana Point from the shoreline to six miles out is prohibited.

The Orange County coast has experienced a recent oil spill and an ongoing shoreline cleanup is in progress. The public can expect to see Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Teams and work crews equipped in protective gear, monitoring, inspecting, and cleaning the beaches to ensure that appropriate cleanup actions are taken. For your safety, the public is advised to avoid any contact with visible oil on the beaches.

The US Coast Guard is the lead agency coordinating the response to the oil spill incident. A unified command has been established and consists of Amplify Energy, the US Coast Guard, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, County of Orange and the County of San Diego. More information about the unified command response may be found at www.SoCalspillresponse.com.

Members of the public are asked to avoid assisting with cleanup in the oiled areas. Trained spill response contractors are working to clean up the oil and public volunteers are now being registered. Information may be found at https://calspillwatch.wildlife.ca.gov/Volunteer. If anyone encounters oiled wildlife, please avoid contact and call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at 1-877- 823-6926.

Vessel owners impacted by the oil spill can file a claim by calling 1-866-985-8366. If your vessel has been impacted by the oil spill, do not attempt to clean your own boat.

For lost revenue and damage claims, please call 1-866-985-8366, referencing the Pipeline P00547 Incident.

If a member of the public spots oil that they suspect is from the oil spill, please contact tarballreports@wildlife.ca.gov.

New park coming to Raitt and Myrtle thanks in part to marijuana tax revenue

Posted on by Posted in Marijuana, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Santa Ana City Council has approved construction of a new, 1.18-acre park at Raitt and Myrtle Streets, a few blocks southeast of the Santa Ana City Yard.

It will feature a skate park, play equipment, exercise area, drought-tolerant landscaping, drinking water fountains, lighting, a public restroom, and other amenities.

The project also includes a stormwater runoff basin and infiltration system designed to manage stormwater from the park and the surrounding neighborhood.

Funding for the $3.4 million project comes from the City’s cannabis public benefit fund – tax revenues generated by legal marijuana operations – as well as State park and water management grants.

Click here to read the staff report regarding this park project.

Newport Beach Harbor and OC Parks Bayside Beach closed due to the oil spill

Posted on by Posted in Beaches, Environment, Newport Beach, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety Leave a comment

The County of Orange in coordination with Unified Command announces the closure of Newport Beach Harbor effective today at 11:00 am due to the oil spill. In addition, OC Parks is announcing the closure of Bayside Beach, located in Newport Beach Harbor.

Boats will not be allowed to enter or exit Newport Beach Harbor at this time. Impacted boaters are requested to go to Huntington Beach Harbor or Long Beach Harbor. At this time there is no date or time as to re-opening Newport Beach Harbor.

As the oil slick continues to move, discussions are underway of the possible closure of harbors south of Newport Beach Harbor. Boaters are advised to make preparations at this time.

The US Coast Guard is the lead agency coordinating the response to the oil spill incident. A unified command has been established and consists of Amplify Energy, the US Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. More information about the unified command response may be found at www.SoCalspillresponse.com.

Members of the public are asked to avoid assisting with cleanup in the oiled areas. Trained spill response contractors are working to clean up the oil. Public volunteers are not requested at this time, but information can be found at https://calspillwatch.wildlife.ca.gov/Volunteer. If anyone encounters oiled wildlife, please avoid contact and call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at 1-877-823-6926.

OC Parks closes beaches in Laguna Beach area due to the oil spill

Posted on by Posted in Beaches, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

As of Sunday at 9 p.m., all beaches in the City of Laguna Beach are closed. This includes beaches operated by the County – Aliso Beach, Laguna Royale, Tablerock Beach, Thousand Steps Beach and West Street Beach.

A large oil spill was identified Saturday off the coast of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, resulting in ocean closures. Due to the toxicity of the spill, residents and visitors are advised to avoid contact with ocean water and oiled areas of the beaches.

The US Coast Guard is the lead agency coordinating the response to the oil spill incident. A unified command has been established and consists of Amplify Energy, the US Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. More information about the unified command response may be found at www.SoCalspillresponse.com.
Members of the public are asked to avoid assisting with cleanup in the oiled areas. Trained spill response contractors are working to clean up the oil. Public volunteers are not requested at this time, but information can be found at https://calspillwatch.wildlife.ca.gov/Volunteer. If anyone encounters oiled wildlife, please avoid contact and call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at 1-877-823-6926.

Virtual meeting about the new PFAS treatment facility at Mabury Park set for Oct. 12

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Water Leave a comment

Santa Ana neighbors are invited to a community meeting with Orange County Water District (OCWD) and City of Santa Ana Public Works Water Resources teams to learn about PFAS and the construction of a treatment facility in Mabury Park.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

OCWD and Santa Ana are working together to rapidly implement a treatment system to get groundwater supplies back online as soon as possible, maintaining the safe, high quality water that Santa Ana is committed to providing. As such, OCWD will soon begin construction on a series of treatment facilities to treat PFAS at four wells in the City.

Virtual Meeting set for Tuesday, October 12, 2021, at 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Join via computer: https://ocwd.zoom.us/j/94148993585?pwd=Mm5zZE1uWXk3Uk1YQUtZeGtCZTlrQT09

Join via phone: Dial +1 346 248 7799 and enter Meeting ID: 941 4899 3585 and Passcode: 578075

Spanish and Vietnamese translation will be available both in person and virtually.

To view the meeting flyer click here. For more information or project updates, please call the OCWD Construction Hotline at (714) 378-8244 or email info@ocwd.com. To learn more about PFAS visit www.ocwd.com/what-we-do/water-quality/pfoapfos/.

Santa Ana youth co-ed flag football registration now open

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Sport, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Here’s something fun for the young football fans in your family! Youth co-ed flag football season begins Monday, Aug. 30, and is open to children ages 3 to 14.

Online registration is required and is open from Aug. 2 through Aug. 13.

Registration fee is $38.00 per child and includes a team shirt, participation trophy, and a 10-week program of practices and games culminating in a celebratory closing ceremony.  Volunteer coaches needed!

For additional information, see program flyer or contact the Youth Sports office at (714) 571-4264.

Flag Football Details: https://www.santa-ana.org/latest-news/youth-sports-co-ed-flag-football-back

Free Summer Night Lights event tonight at El Salvador Park

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana is hosting another Summer Night Lights on Friday July 30, 2021 at 7:00 pm at El Salvador Park, located at 1825 W Civic Center Dr.

There will be free games, food and activities for the entire family!


The next event will be on Friday, August 6th.

To view the event flyer click here. For more information visit https://www.ngservices.org/ or call (714) 980-0953.

The SAPD is hosting a free Summer Safety event today at Bomo Koral Park

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, SAPD, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Join the SAPD and the Santa Ana Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency today at 2PM at Bomo Koral Park, located at 900 W. MacArthur Blvd. for the 2nd Summer Safety event.

Come meet the SAPD K9 & Animal Control Officers. Receive safety tips & special giveaways (while supplies last).

Don’t miss out!

Summer Night Lights 2021 begins tonight at El Salvador Park

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Summer Night Lights 2021 will take place every Friday night in Santa Ana starting on July 9th to August 6th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at El Salvador Park, located at 1825 W Civic Center Dr.

There will be free games, food and activities for the entire family!

Santa Ana Public Works Staff will be available to share information and discuss the Fairview Bridge project from 7 pm – 8 pm at the Artesia Pilar Neighborhood Association booth at Friday’s Summer Night Lights event. All are invited.

For more information visit https://www.ngservices.org/ or call (714) 980-0953.

The City of Santa Ana will host movies at local parks starting on July 14

Posted on by Posted in Movies, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana will be hosting a new Movies in the Park series every Wednesday and Friday from July 14 through Aug. 27, 2021. Each movie night event will take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with movies beginning at dusk. Guests are encouraged to arrive early and bring their own lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics to enjoy before the movie. No alcohol is allowed.

Free popcorn will be provided to the first 500 guests each night, and headsets will also be available for alternate audio languages (if available, while supplies last). Event and parking are free to the public.

The 2021 Movie Schedule and Park List:

• July 14 – TOY STORY 4 at Jerome Park 726 S. Center St.

• July 16 – MOANA at Cesar Chavez Campesino Park 3311 W. 5th St.

• July 21 – ABOMINABLE at Rosita Park 706 N. Newhope St.

• July 23 – ALADDIN Thornton Park at 1801 W. Segerstrom Ave.

• July 28 – MARY POPPINS RETURNS at Edna Park 2140 W. Edna Dr.

• July 30 – RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK at Portola Park 1700 E. Santa Clara Ave.

• August 4 – THE JUNGLE BOOK at Santiago Park 2535 N. Main St.

• August 6 – SELENA at Memorial Park 2102 S. Flower St.

• August 11 – LION KING at Lillie King Park 500 W. Alton Ave.

• August 13 – FROZEN II at El Salvador Park 1825 W. Civic Center Dr.

• August 18 – TROLLS WORLD TOUR at El Salvador Park 1825 W. Civic Center Dr.

• August 20 – RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON at Delhi Park 2314 S. Halladay St.

• August 25 – INCREDIBLES 2 at Madison Park 1528 S. Standard St.

• August 27 – COCO at Centennial Park 3000 W. Edinger Ave.

To download the movie schedule or for more information on the Movies in the Park series, visit www.santa-ana.org/moviesinthepark or call (714) 571-4227. Be sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates @santaanaparks.

La Ciudad de Santa Ana Presentará Películas en el Parque

Translations:Español

Phim trong công viên

Translations:Tiếng Việt

Disney’s giant animal crackers added to the train at the Santa Ana Zoo

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Zoo, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Santa Ana, Calif. – The Friends of Santa Ana Zoo (FOSAZ), a non-profit organization, is pleased to announce the addition of the “Animal Crackers” from Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train ride at the Zoo!

Heimlich is the cute green caterpillar from the movie “A Bug’s Life” and Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train was an attraction in A Bug’s Land at Disney California Adventure that ran from 2002-2018. Guests rode the train in the shape of Heimlich as he narrated the ride. His tendency to overeat was the theme of the ride as it appeared to eat through oversized portions of food including the animal crackers, candy corn, carrots and watermelon. Each piece of giant food had large bites taken out of it and “smelled” like the food as you rode by them. At the end of the train ride, Heimlich reminded the guests to eat their fruit and vegetables.

Now these giant-sized animal crackers are placed along the Santa Ana Zoo’s Zoofari Express Train ride for all to see after they pass by the turtle pond in the Farm area of the Zoo.

“It’s so special and such a great memory to see these pieces of history from Disney here at the Santa Ana Zoo. Disney was so kind as to donate the sculptures to the Zoo when their ride closed and we are grateful to have them on grounds for all who ride the Train here to enjoy,” says Cathi Decker, Executive Director of Friends of Santa Ana Zoo, “It is an honor that we are able to showcase them once again.”

The Zoofari Express Train Ride continues to play an integral role in raising the funds needed for all the special projects and improvements going on here at our favorite community Zoo including educational programs, breaking ground on new animal habitats, supporting important conservation initiatives, introducing new rides and upgrading service facilities for guests to use and enjoy.

The Santa Ana Zoo is home to more than 260 animals, including 60 of the most interesting and engaging monkeys and several endangered species. The parking, park and grounds are wheel-chair accessible. The Zoo is beautifully landscaped and showcases a wide array of succulents, flowers and other conservation-friendly varietals. Inside the Zoo there is a wonderful playground with nearby seating for parents and guardians. Also available throughout the Zoo are picnic tables and rest areas, and tons of shade, as well as the famous Zoofari Express Train, the Conservation Carrousel and the new Fifty Monkey Ferris Wheel.

Open Wednesday – Sunday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, the Santa Ana Zoo participates in conservation efforts to save local and South American species, including frogs, turtles, and lion tamarins. To become a Member of the Zoo, please call (714) 953-8555 x13. The Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is located at 1801 East Chestnut Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

Find out more about admission to the Zoo and the Zoofari Express Train ride at www.santaanazoo.org. You can also follow us on Twitter, join us on Facebook, or discover us on Instagram.