Please join the City Council on December 6, 2008, at the Recreation Center as the Fountain Valley community celebrates the official grand opening ceremony and dedication of the expanded and improved Fountain Valley Recreation Center and Sports Park, a grand and shining example of why Fountain Valley is “A Nice Place to Live”.

October 29 , 2008 - After more than a decade of planning, design, and construction, the Fountain Valley Recreation Center and Sports Park Expansion is complete. The project incorporated an additional 23 acres of parkland secured from the County of Orange into the existing 55 acres, which also saw some significant improvements and enhancements. The improved park has recreational elements for everyone from organized sports participants to the passive park user who just wants to take a walk in the park, throw a Frisbee, have a picnic, or listen to concerts in the park.

From a sports field perspective, there are nine total baseball fields to provide for Little League and Youth baseball programs, six new softball fields to accommodate adult, youth, and girls fast pitch softball in a brand new complex that features two new first class restroom/concession buildings in the 23 acre expansion area, three dedicated soccer fields, one utility field that can be used for a variety of purposes including additional sports needs, a great lawn area set off by land contours and a central stage area for concerts in the park, and a comprehensive network of walking trails that consist of concrete sidewalks as well as a substantial amount of natural walking trails around the perimeter of the park connecting to the County Mile Square Park.  A centrally located, brand new, large playground area with new surface and seating in a beautifully landscaped setting provides a place for brother and sister to play while siblings play sports or just for a play date and picnic with friends and family.

The entire project is planted with over 1,200 new trees of various species and an extensive amount of plantings including shrubs and ground cover. The entrance to the park was enhanced with a new decorative monument sign that greets park goers from Brookhurst to the new street circulation and parking network designed to carry park goers to their specific park destination via a beautifully landscaped street scene. The street network features a central park drive connecting from Brookhurst Street through the park joined by a centrally located roundabout or traffic circle connecting to another roadway leading north toward the main parking area of the Recreation Center building and tennis center area. Parking for the various areas of the park is conveniently located adjacent to the various park venues organized off the main central park drive for improved access and flow throughout the park. The City also acquired the rights to the service road area just between the Recreation Center Park and David L. Baker golf course to provide for additional circulation to various areas of the park as well as providing for dozens more parking stalls adjacent to baseball and tennis facilities. A total of 1,100 parking spaces are provided.

November 3, 2008, marks the completion of construction and opening of this long awaited community project. Some portions of the park have been open and available to the public during construction. More areas will become available beginning November 3. Some areas such as the soccer fields and softball complex area will remain closed through February 2009, when a new sports season begins. Maintaining closure of these areas will allow for the optimum time for the grass to establish on these extensive new turf areas.