Rancho Cienega Playground – Los Angeles CA

Description

A 1938 report from the Los Angeles Department of Playground and Recreation describes the WPA’s role in creating the Rancho Cienega recreation area:

“Forerunner of the great regional recreation centers of the future, the Rancho Cienega Playground was the outstanding addition to the Los Angeles recreation system in 1938. The area comprises thirty acres in the southwest section of the city, along Exposition Boulevard near La Brea Avenue. It is the largest municipal playground devoted exclusively to sports and recreation within the city. The site was donated by Mrs. Anita M. Baldwin in response to a request made by the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce. Development of the tract was carried out through an improvement project costing $218,971, of which the Works Progress Administration of the Federal Government contributed $166,824 and the Los Angeles Dept. of Parks and Recreation $52,147.

The new facilities available for public recreation include: 4 baseball diamonds, 2 softball diamonds, 12 tennis courts, 2 soccer and football fields, an archery range, an athletic stadium seating 6000 persons and containing a ball park, football and soccer field, and running track; team dressing building, fieldhouse, comfort stations, outdoor basketball courts, outdoor volleyball courts, croquet courts, horseshoe courts, outdoor gymnasium; children’s playground containing swings and slides, pergola sand box, paddle tennis courts, ping pong tables, game tables; bleacher accommodations at sports fields for 1200 spectators, general landscaping, seventeen acres of lawn, 9,574 feet of protective fencing, walks and automobile drives, parking accommodation for 400 cars.”

Today the facility features basketball courts, a baseball diamond, a children’s play area, community room, football field, handball courts, picnic tables, soccer field, tennis courts and more.

When this researcher visited on a Sunday, the parking lot was full, a youth football game and little league baseball game were underway, and the tennis courts were used to capacity.