As has already been done by the National Park System, certain Long Beach parks are beginning the shift to cashless park entry, with immediate effect at three local locations.
Entry booths at the El Dorado East Regional Park, El Dorado Nature Center and Belmont Plaza Pool will now only accept cashless payment options, such as debit, credit, prepaid credit cards and smart pay. Patrons without access to cashless payment options can purchase day tickets at the El Dorado East Regional Park Office or Nature Center Visitors Center inside the parks’ entries. Visitors may also purchase annual passes at the park office locations.
At the Belmont Pool, patrons will be expected to pay for swimming programs with a credit or debit card at the pool entry booth. The alternative cash payment option will continue to be available at the pool office behind the entry booth.
Signage has been placed at the facility entries and Parks, Recreation, and Marine staff are working with vendors and user groups to help spread the word about this operational change.
Proposed advantages for implementing cashless entry are the reduction of transaction times and chances of errors during entry to create greater accountability and consistency. In Long Beach, cashless parking is already being used at City beaches as well as other paid parking facilities.
This payment change is the City’s starting point for upping its park efficiency, accessibility and safety measures. The Department of Public Works is also currently creating additional enhancements as part of the El Dorado Park Paving, Wayfinding and Parking Improvements initiative.
The goal of this project is to usher in a safer experience for park visitors, lighten long vehicle queues and help traffic flow during peak visitation times by resurfacing roadways and parking lots, improving wayfinding signage and redesigning entry points. Additional information about El Dorado Park, Paving, Wayfinding and Parking Improvements, such as timelines and budget details, will be available at a later date.
To learn more about the El Dorado East Regional Park and Nature Center, call 562-570-1745 during business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). To reach the Belmont Plaza Pool, call 562-570-1806.
