After many years and several community meetings, the Long Beach City Council reviewed and approved the $9.6 million Martin Luther King Jr. Park Vision Plan Tuesday night.
The community around MLK Park in Central Long Beach has gathered at the park since the 1960s for religious, cultural and neighborhood events. The park has helped to create a sense of connection in an area that historically suffered from redlining practices and race-based deed restrictions, resulting in underinvestment.
“This park means a lot to a lot of us. My mother grew up going to this park, my dad immigrated to America in 1985 and he met my mom at LBCC across the street, and they spent a lot of time there together,” said Senay Kenfe, sixth district resident. “I grew up there eating the free lunches and for a lot of us, it felt like we’d been forgotten in the city, and so it’s great to have 47 pages of the City saying we’re going to reinvest and rise up.”
Residents have been very vocal in their wishes for the park in the community meetings and workshops, reminiscing on the talent shows, thriving garden and sports leagues that once graced MLK Park. The park is almost nine acres and currently has a recently revived Community Peace Garden, a playground, soccer field, two baseball fields, picnic area, Central Health Facility, Community Center, restrooms, concession stand, indoor pool and Boys and Girls Club building.
Major themes of improvement that came from the workshops included:
- Expanding programming to wider age groups with focuses like science, technology, engineering, arts and math through amenities like a makerspace, computer lab, art studio and classrooms. There were also many requests to have events that are family-oriented and recurring.
- Designing the park so it has spaces to hold large events while still catering to everyday use, so it’s a resource and cultural hub for future generations.
- Amenities such as basketball courts, a running loop, exercise equipment, a performance space, a flexible sports field and a cultural trail that has artwork along the pathway that expresses local Black history and culture.
- Making the park safer with additional lighting and programming to have more visitors engaging with the park positively.
Mockups of the park included a plaza area where the statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. would be moved so he’s in the center of the park rather than his current spot overlooking the parking lot. The plaza would also hold a performance space, multiple walkways and entry areas.
Short Term Improvements
The creation of a Friends of King Park is one of the immediate next steps, as Brent Dennis, director of Parks, Recreation and Marine, said several community leaders expressed an interest and ability to do so during the planning phase. Other next steps include creating a deferred maintenance program, so the community is able to maintain the park’s amenities rather than outsourcing it to the City, and pursuing grant funding.
Parking will soon be reconfigured at the park so it’s not taking up green space, leaving more room for any new buildings or a plaza area. Increased pathways through the park such as a walking trail looping the park along with ADA entrances and paths are the main focus for accessibility.
The east side of the park along Orange Avenue will also receive new trees and native shrubs to create a shade canopy and a sense of sanctuary. The baseball field was marked for short term improvements, as it needs updated equipment, turf, shaded bleachers, outfield fencing, lighting and dugouts.
The area around the baseball field, as well as the main field, was noted to need improved irrigation since the grass currently stays muddy for days after rain. The cultural trail was also marked as a short term plan, with seating, lighting and park furniture included. Exercise equipment would also be added around this time.
Medium Term Improvements
The Community Peace Garden was a main point of interest throughout the workshops, with a desire to extend the space to the east and north. There are also plans to install raised garden beds to serve residents with differing abilities.
Additional improvements in the plan included new restrooms and a new concession stand along Orange Avenue, with an archway inviting people into the park to create a formal entrance. This part of the plan also includes expanding the picnic areas and adding shaded structures.
Many of the park’s programs are run through the Community Center, which is in need of updates. The vision plan lays out an expansion that could hold more events and workshops for both youth and seniors.
Long Term Improvements
The only part of the plan marked as long term are the improvements to the playground area. The plan is to expand the playground to have separate structures for different age groups and abilities, as well as nature-based equipment that encourages adventure and exploration play.
MLK Park’s playground area will also receive upgraded seating, lighting, furniture and a new rubberized mat around the structure.
“The sixth district is worthy of our time and attention,” said Sharon Jackson, who was on the King Park Steering Committee throughout the visioning process. “That district represents one of the most diverse districts in the city. If we can show our city how the Latino community, the Black community, the Asian community, the white population, how we’re all working together in that area, that becomes a model for how we operate throughout the city.”
Jackson asked that the City release a more specific timeline for improvements at the park, since as of right now the only time frame is that Long Beach hopes to complete it by the 2028 Olympics.
The City Council also signed a $877,165 contract with National Pools up to $1 million for updates to the indoor pool. The pool needs replastering, a new hydraulic lift, a new circulation system, sand filter, chemical controller, heater and an acid/chlorine feeder. The pool is expected to be closed in three months and will begin construction in either December or January.
“Getting the community together has really been the journey itself and I definitely couldn’t have done it without all of you who have spoken and made sure that you attended those meetings,” Councilmember Suely Saro said. “This is a testament to the power of collaboration and the shared belief that the residents in this district deserve safe and healthy and vibrant public spaces.”
The full MLK Park Vision Plan, including a cost summary, can be viewed online.
