An artist’s rendering of the roughly 3,000-square-foot community center being built at Orizaba Park as part of an expansion and improvement project at the site. 

7:15pm | Residents of Long Beach’s Fourth Council District are invited to attend a community meeting Thursday night to discuss the design plans for the up-and-coming community center to be erected at Orizaba Park.

Councilman Patrick O’Donnell will be joined by the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine and the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency at the West East Side Community Association meeting set for 6:30 p.m. at Lee Elementary School, 1620 Temple Ave.

The meeting is being dubbed as a “community kickoff” for the Orizaba Park Community Center. Attendees will be given the opportunity to provide input and give feedback regarding the design of the center, city officials said.

The park, which has been closed off to residents for the past couple of months as the site is expanded and fully rehabilitated, formerly lacked such a facility.

Construction of the center is being funded by a $2.2 million grant from the California Natural Resources Agency via its Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. That money will also be used to create a community garden at the park, which is located on Orizaba Avenue between Spaulding and 14th streets, according to information provided by city officials.

To read our previous coverage of the grant being used to fund the community center and garden at Orizaba Park, click here. 

The community center will span roughly 3,000 square feet. Upon its completion, the youth services from nearby Freeman Youth Center will be moved to the new center, which will also offer adult and senior services, city officials said.

The overall expansion and improvement project is being funded by the RDA, which invested $4.9 million to enlarge the currently 2.62-acre park site. A total of $3.7 million of that investment was used to acquire four adjacent, blighted industrial properties that will be added on to the park, increasing its size to 3.72 acres. into the park. The remaining $1.2 million is covering improvements including open turf areas, landscaping, ball courts, a skate park, walking paths and picnic tables.

Additional information about Thursday’s meeting can be obtained by calling Erika Martin at 562-570-5011.