Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) added to their “recreation reimagined” programs in July with a free Virtual Summer Camp, in person camps for ages 5-8 at El Dorado Nature Center, and an in person Middle School ARISE (Adaptive Recreation in Special Environments) Camp at the Advocacy for Respect & Choice Facility at 4519 E. Stearns Avenue.
Virtual Camps
The Virtual Camps provide a safe option for youth to access needed education and entertainment, and academic enrichment activities designed to minimize summer learning loss. The camps began on July 20 and will be are offered weekdays through August 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PRM staff have packed each day with three virtual one-on–one meetings with campers for art, sign language and dance classes; and enrichment based lessons about various topics such as sea turtles, dinosaurs, coral reef and outer space. There are also plenty of fun activities and games to work on independently throughout the day. More than 100 people have registered for Virtual Camp and more join in everyday!
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El Dorado Nature Center Summer Camps
El Dorado Nature Center offered weekly camps for ages 5-8 from July 20 through August 14. Dozens of youngsters enjoyed safe fun and exploration with hands on activities, games and crafts. “Wild About Art Week focused on creating artistic masterpieces inspired by nature’s colors and textures. Kids discovered the habitats, lifecycles and adaptations of birds in ”Everything Birds,” and they unplugged and constructed nature inspired games during the “NC Gamers” week. The program concluded with “Everything Turtles” where youth discovered the world of turtles through their habitats, lifecycles and adaptations.
Middle School ARISE Camp (adaptive)
PRM is offering a summer camp for middle school age ARISE (Adaptive Recreation in Special Environments) with recreational and enrichment activities. The camp is held at the Advocacy for Respect & Choice (AR&C) Facility, 4519 E. Stearns Avenue, and Monday though Friday, from noon to 3 p.m., through August 28. The fee is $15 per week. The camp follows day camp safety protocols and a 1:5 staff to camper ratio is maintained. Registration is taken on-site at AR&C. Call 562.440.2867 for more information.
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Driver’s Education
Teens ages 14-18 can prepare to obtain their California driver’s permit with PRM’s Driver’s Education classes taught by All Good Driving School Inc. The course is fun and interactive and includes parental involvement. The coursework can be completed any time of the day or night. DMV accepted completion certificates will be issued upon successful course completion. Driving not included. $40 for four-week session.
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Ed 2 Go On Line Computer Classes
Expand your computer skills and enhance workplace success with PRM’s Ed 2 Go online classes. New sessions every month include Computer Skills for the Workplace, Creating Web Pages, Guiding Kids on the Internet, Microsoft Word, Excel, Quickbooks, Teaching
with a Smart Board and Speed Spanish Online. $95 per class. Enroll at LBparks.org. Call 562.570.3148 for
more information.
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Reimagined Summer Virtual Programming began on June 15. Participants are provided weekly Grab- N-Go packets on Mondays and Wednesdays that include personal encouraging notes from staff, supplies needed for that week’s google meet activities, a family night game idea, and stand alone activities for kids to do while “unplugged”.
Live Google Meets occur three times a day on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The program components are similar to those that would be offered during PRM’s traditional in-person summer programs, and include physical recreation, academic enrichment, and arts and crafts. Activities include science, yoga, cooking, Trap Zumba, drawing, Site vs. Site Jeopardy, DIY workshops, gameshow trivia, and much more. WRAP Students look forward to earning points and WRAP Dollars, for positive participation and good online behavior, to win prizes on Grab-N-Go days. WRAP kids participate in SEL (Socio-Emotional Learning) time that occurs when staff does daily check-ins to talk about how students are feeling. During the check-ins,
staff leads discussions on ways to deal with stress and boredom, and sometimes does meditation and mindfulness exercises to help kids deal with these unprecedented
times.
WRAP staff also reached out to every WRAP family to see how they are doing, provide resources to assist with basic needs, and assist with getting internet services if needed. PRM’s amazing and hardworking WRAP staff are up to the challenge of providing quality programming during this pandemic.
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The 11.5-acre Davenport Park is located on 2910 East 55th Way, east of Paramount Boulevard, between Candlewood Street and South Street. The park was named in memory of Long Beach Police Officer Corporal Ed “Pops” Davenport, a man that made a positive difference in the City of Long Beach during his 40-year career. The park amenities include a playground, sports field, and tot lot and two half-court basketball courts.
This park was the site of a Long Beach landfill until 1947when it was developed for industrial uses. The condition of the land caused buildings to settle and many lots were condemned or abandoned. The former Long Beach Redevelopment Agency acquired the northern 5.92-acre section of the land in 2001 for development as a park.
After landfill was closed, construction began. A grand opening celebration was held on August 26, 2006. Improvements included a soccer field, two half-court basketball courts, play equipment, walking trail, picnic area, restroom and parking lot. The park’s development was also mitigation for the Police Station built in Scherer Park in 2004, a park restricted to open space use by prior receipt of federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant.
On April 24, 2006, the Redevelopment Agency acquired 5.6-acres of former landfill to the west of the existing park with North Long Beach Project Area funds for the purpose of eventually extending the park to Paramount Blvd. A new 2,200-foot-long decomposed granite walking path was added in 2017.
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Davenport Park Development Timeline
1947: The land for Davenport Park was a City landfill and was later developed for industrial purposes.
2001: The former Long Beach Development Agency acquired the 5.92-acre site portion with North Long Beach Project Area funds.
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2004: North Division Police Station opens in Scherer Park. Davenport Park was created as mitigation for the use of the parkland.
2006: Redevelopment Agency acquires westerly 5.63 acres with North Long Beach Area Funds to create11.55 acres of parkland.
2006: Davenport Park Phase I opens with a soccer field, two basketball courts, a playground, picnic area, and restrooms. The park was named in memory of Long Beach Police Corporal Ed “Pops” Davenport.
2017: A grand opening ceremony for the new 2,200-foot-long decomposed granite walking path was held on September 30. The path forms a 2/3 mile-loop.
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In July more than a dozen young adults, paired with Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) staff, began circulating on foot and/or bikes throughout parks and beaches to observe visitor activities, capture hourly usage data, celebrate visitors compliant with physical distancing and safety protocols, educate non-compliant visitors and report field issues using the GO Long Beach App.
These young people are Community Ambassadors, trained by Pacific Gateway, the City’s workforce agency, for COVID-19 response. The program is a collaboration between Pacific Gateway, PRM and Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. Pacific Gateway’s year round programs created a match for youth seeking employment at a time when job opportunities are limited.
Pacific Gateway trained 70 Long Beach residents to fill job roles for the emerging career field of COVID- 19 response. Thirteen young adults are serving as Community Ambassadors, and an additional 35 people are assigned to support COVID-19 contact tracing and testing sites, the 4BIZ hotline, the Business Restart Grant program and other City operations. Another 21 people are completing additional training specific to their COVID-19 Health Ambassador assignments.
Community Ambassadors monitor park and beach routes, and depending on need, can be shifted and expanded to other parks, beaches and open street locations. They will have a presence in these parks during peak usage days, Thursdays through Sundays, and will be identified by bright blue uniforms.
For more information call 562.570.3700 to or visit the Pacific Gateway WorkPlace (4811 Airport Dr.) to fill out an interest form.
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The Shoreline Marina Harbor Master office recently benefitted from a beautification project. Jeff King and Alex Perez from the Marine Bureau Maintenance team pulled out dead plant material on the east side of the Station 35 building and planted Marigolds in the area. Alex also made some much needed irrigation repairs. |
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On July 23 Marine Bureau staff teamed with the the Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewards, and staff from the Long Beach and Seal Beach Police Departments, and Long Beach Health and Human Services to do a comprehensive clean up of the jetty area. |
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Marine Bureau staff including Jeff King and Chris King
recently handled some maintenance on the citizen memorial sculpture for Mark L. Bixby near the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier parking lot. Mark Bixby was a local community leader, businessman, and father of three who passed away in a plane crash in 2011. Staff repaired pavers and lighting, and refreshed landscaping. They also worked with a contractor to polish the sculpture and dedication plaque. The stainless steal wave sculpture by artist Patrick Vogel was dedicated in August 2012.
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Residents are encouraged to engage in a conversation about funding priorities for the City of Long Beach. The City is facing a $30 million General Fund shortfall that it must resolve before the new Fiscal Year starts on October 1, 2020.
You can attend any online Citywide Community Budget Meeting, and share this invitation with friends, family and your network, so the City’s budge reflects as many community voices as possible.
Monday, August 24, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Accessible in English and Khmer Audio and Chat Link: https://bit.ly/CBMAug24 Khmer - Audio Only: (844) 992-4726 Zoom Access Code: 146-810-9478 English - Audio Only: (213) 338-8477 Webinar ID: 995 9791-0848
Wednesday, August 26, 7 to 8:30 pm, Accessible in English and Spanish Audio and Chat Link: https://bit.ly/CBMAug26 Spanish - Audio Only: (844) 992-4726 Zoom Access Code: 146-141-1100 English - Audio Only: (213) 338-8477 Webinar ID: 947-3800-9188
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