Anika C.
Yelp
As a native Angeleno, this is another one of those places in the county I should have visited YEARS ago... it's right near my church and is huge! It's the park that keeps on giving!
I found myself in a funky mood yesterday after work. I was reminded that morning about a meeting at church and knew that if I went home between the office and the meeting, I would end up missing my meeting. So even though I wanted to crawl in my bed, some inconsistent rain drops were falling, and I didn't have a complete workout outfit in my car, I put on my tennis shoes and hat, parked in the lot adjacent to Champions Field, and got to steppin'.
I have no idea the distance covered when touring the circumference of this park, but it's a decent! There are a couple of inclines that add interest to your walk or run.
I started by visiting the closest restroom available which started my building favorable impression of the grounds. I don't visit many parks, and even fewer park restrooms, but I was enthralled with this one because:
- it was constructed, in part, with bricks (one of my favorite building materials - it reminds me of my childhood summers in Savannah, Georgia).
- although it smelled like most park bathrooms (unlike bleach or Fabuloso®), every stall contained toilet seat covers and toilet tissue.
- there were locks on every stall door.
- it had an individual hand dryer that was powerfully functioning.
Already wordy review short, the more I walked this park, the more pockets of funness I discovered! This massive park showcased multiple amenities that made me want to take pictures with the finds between each little rolling hill...
- multiple playgrounds that include cork-like foundations so kids don't hurt themselves as much when they fall
- a plethora of fields for baseball, basketball, lacrosse, tennis, etc., as well as a beach-inspired volleyball court
- a spacious skateboard park
- fitness stations similar to those at gyms
- numerous grassy areas for eating al fresco along with table options for dining and gathering
- a vast assortment of luscious trees - new and established - that make for perfect picture taking
- numerous bathrooms (I didn't visit any besides the afore-mentioned one)
- random art pieces like "vases" (without flowers) and built in benches with mosaic details
- a playhouse, as in a venue that runs theatrical shows
- an area with two swimming pools
- a mini rock climbing wall
- an amphitheater with seating made of bricks and a stage onto which you could choreograph some cool dance moves (or is that just how I would use it?)
The downsides to this park - as there are some to most...
- though a large portion of this park borders Florence (which will, soon, have a metro line in between the two), it's not an inviting part of the park. I took a back way to get to one of the few parking lots that align the park. You may have an easier time trying to access one from Centinela.
- as I was using the restroom, some young boys entered it to smoke some weed. I loudly exclaimed, "Ummm - are there boys in the women's restroom?" One answered, "Sorry. We are leaving." Though they ended up going next door to the men's restroom to hotbox, they did apologize to me for invading the wrong bathroom before I told them I smelled what they were doing and they apologized again.
- there is plenty of graffiti on the beautiful brick structures and the art fixtures.
Exploring this park helped turn my mood from funky to fresh... what a gem in Inglewood!
I WILL return!
2018 Challenge - 26 of 100