Neena Strichart
Publisher
In this neck of the woods, few happenings elicit more hoopla than the opening of a new city park. Whether in Signal Hill or Long Beach, a new park traditionally generates a grand affair, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, free balloons, face-painting, refreshments, souvenirs of the event, photo ops with local politicians, participation by the area chamber of commerce members, as well as the fire department, and oodles and oodles of kids and families turning out to join the celebration. The following day, front-page pictures in the local newspapers are sure to boast of the new public green spaces.
Given the above, I have found it strange that I cannot find any information about the newish (and, by all appearances, nameless) park located at the corner of 23rd Street and Martin L. King, Jr. Avenue. Just yards from Signal Hill (where MLK Avenue turns into California Avenue) this little park features nice landscaping, several trash cans, tables with attached benches, the shortest bike path known to man, not to mention a parking lot with 10 regular spaces and one for handicapped parking.
When I assigned a reporter to write a story about the park a couple of months ago, she came back empty-handed, saying she could find no information about the park. I later did some reaching out to representatives from the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill, and I too came up empty. To this day, I still have no answers on the background of the park in question.
One of the Long Beach Council offices assures me that the park is located in Signal Hill, while the department head from Signal Hill’s Community Services agrees with me— it is in Long Beach. Several calls to Long Beach parks department have also proven to be fruitless.
My concern at this point is that the little orphaned, homeless and nameless park is falling into disrepair with dying grass and tables covered with graffiti. Will some city or somebody please come forward and adopt this lovely little park? Please let me know if you are interested. I’ll be there to take pictures.
